Grim
by Oblivion's Creed
Summary: They were both sought out by the Crown, but they both refused to bow down to it. He, a notorious pirate. She, a former slave. The life at sea is treacherous, but for both of them, it was freedom. EdwardXOC
1. The Jackdaw

**This isn't my first Fanfiction, nor is it my first Assassin's Creed one. Inspired by the new game Black Flag coming out in November, I chose to write an EdwardxOC because who doesn't like a pirate? Although I wish I could make a ConnorXOC, I get to much writer's block to try for one. The idea of pirates just lets my fingers roll and I think I got most of this story mapped out in my head. **

**If you have any comments or concerns with this story, do not be afraid to tell me. Criticism is what makes stories and writings better(In my opinion, I don't think Stephanie Meyer got this memo). **

**Anyway, as an author, got put the disclaimer here. So, I, Oblivion's Creed, do not own Assassin's Creed…blah, blah, blah….**

**Enjoy **

Chapter 1: The Jackdaw

_1716 _

The island was small, barely inhabitable by animals, but no race of human had conquered its shores. The place seemed almost like paradise. No people, no famine, no diseases, and the best part: freedom. Freedom from government, slavery, and poverty.

The young woman took in a heavy breath of ocean breeze as she sat on coastal rocks. Her fishing pole was wedged between two boulders while the line floated a few meters out in the sea.

It was an unusual day for the lone islander. The birds seemed spooked and flew from the trees and off the island. The fish had yet to bite and furthered themselves from the shore. The woman merely sighed at her failed fishing attempts. There were no fresh water fish on the island and any chance at catching a small bird was no longer feasible. The only thing left to hunt were the wild boar in the northern forest, and the young woman knew her skills as a hunter were not sharpened enough to hunt such a large creature.

Starvation was kicking in. Food had been scarce the past few days, and the islander knew that the boars were her only choice. Reeling in her line, the woman placed the pole at the base of a palm tree before grabbing her makeshift spear.

This day had to come sooner or later. Eventually, she would need to become a full fledge hunter if she wanted to survive the approaching storm.

X

_On board the Jackdaw_

"Half-sails!"

The crew did not hesitate to do their jobs as commanded. Smoke from cannons and fire billowed into the air creating a giant black cloud. Screams of dying men were barely audible over the sounds of cracking wood and flying cannonballs. Three large vessels surrounded one smaller one in a last attempt to finally stop the infamous pirate ship.

"Captain! We can't outrun them any longer!"

The young, blonde-haired man who stood at the wheel of the ship turned to glare at the dark-skinned crew member. "What were my orders?"

"Fire the cannons when they draw close, but keep on the sails," the dark man replied.

"Aye, now that I know you can listen, why don't we see if you can do what you are ordered." The blonde's sea-colored eyes pierced through the dark man making him scurry off.

"We're against odds here, Captain," a lanky man wearing a worn cotton hat stated.

"I am well aware. How does the hold fair?" the captain questioned.

"Treading water, sir. We'll need to hit the shallows soon or we lose the ship."

The blonde gritted his teeth in agitation. He hated the idea of retreat; despised it. The years of mockery towards the British sailors would make him a hypocrite if he were to retreat now.

"We keep fighting. Set the cannons to aim for the vessel abeam to port. I want that ship on the bottom of the ocean."

"But Captain-"

"That's an order!"

No crew member ever questioned the blonde's authority. All were too afraid to face the consequences. "Aye, Captain."

More cannon fire sliced through the air splinting wood on both sides of the battle. The smallest of the British Navy vessels had its sails catch fire when a barrel of gun powder lit up from the deck. Screams of agony and terror echoed through the ears of the pirates making them cheer in triumph. One down, two to go.

A smirk was barely visible on the Captain's face as he watched the vessel sink. It was no time to get cocky, but if this was his last battle, he had to at least enjoy it.

The lanky man with the wool hat returned to the blonde's side with a look of terror on his face. "Sir, the ship is taking too much of beating to keep going. She will sink!"

The Captain growled under his breath, "Have you patched the hold?"

"Yes, sir, but we are still taking on too much water. I have a few of the younger lads draining the lower decks with buckets. It's not enough, but it's keeping us afloat and delaying time."

"Keep at it and don't let any more chambers flood. We are going to board the Alexandria."

"The main Navy vessel? Captain, I don't think she can hold!"

"She will hold! You have your orders, now move!"

The lanky man disappeared once more below the decks. More cannon fire boomed in the background as wood burst into thousands of pieces in all directions. The Jackdaw crew returned fire, separating the two Navy vessels away from one another.

"Get ready to board, lads. Take everything and give them nothing!"

The Jackdaw paralleled with the Alexandria, and in a few seconds, the pirates flooded the decks of the British vessel. Gun powder barrels erupted causing smoke to fill the air and blind all the patrons on board both ships. Swords clashed, pistols fired, and the dying were left to suffer as the pirates pushed to take over the British vessel.

The blonde pirate grabbed hold of a rope, and swung aboard without making a sound. The blade hidden on his left wrist was silent and gave him the upper hand in the smoke-filled surroundings. Three fell to his blade as he neared the Captain's quarters; all were unaware of his presences. Sliding through the ajar door, the blonde entered the cabin without being seen.

Two men stood at a map table: one, a general, and the other: a ship captain. Both looked like a nervous wreck, but the general seemed more composed.

"Isaac, sir, we need to either abandon ship or break the hooks and make an escape," the captain pleaded. His hands shook as he grabbed his tankard and downed its contents.

"You swore an oath to His Majesty declaring that you would use your vessel for the King's Royal Navy. Fleeing now would be an act of treason, and you would be hanged for it," the general replied.

"So you are just going to let your men die? For what? Honor?"

"A noble death to stop one of the worst criminals to sail the high seas."

"There is nothing noble about what is going on outside right now. That is not a battle field, but instead a massacre!"

"You can either join me, or flee and live out the rest of your life as a fugitive."

"I do n-"

The captain didn't get to finish his sentence as he watched the blonde pirate sink his hidden blade into the general's back. He stood with his mouth agape as his trembling worsened. His powdered wig was tasseled and looked like he was on the verge of shitting himself.

"P-p-please, I surrender. My men will quit fighting. Please leave us be!" the captain pleaded.

Pathetic.

"Your general was right. It's more noble to die fighting," the blonde remarked.

In a quick swoop, the pirate captain cleared the table and pierced the man's jugular with his blade. The captain sputtered before falling to the floor motionless. The cocky smirk once again adorned the blonde's face. As much as he loved a challenge, he didn't have the time to deal with these British bastards.

The blonde's smirk quickly vanished as he noticed the worse thing to happen to any sailor or pirate alike: silence. The cannon's seized and the sounds of swords could no longer be heard. His men were not cheering, which meant only one thing-

The captain sharply turned, ready to rush back out onto the decks, but his vision caught sight of a flash of brown before he fell backwards on the floor. His head ached and through blurred vision, he caught sight of a redcoat standing over him with a rifle in hand. The rest of his sight darkened as more soldiers piled into the cabin.


	2. It's Bad Luck

**Second chapter on second day of release. I'm going to try and work on this story as much as possible, so I can have it finished before the game comes out, that way I don't get side-tracked and lose interest. **

**Enjoy**

Chapter 2: It's Bad Luck…

_On the island_

Standing at four feet in height and weighing more than two men, the grizzly boar calmly trotted around the forest digging up its dinner. The lone islander shifted the spear from her left hand to her right. She heaved in a breath of air, took aim, and tossed the spear. The weapon cleanly pierced the ribs of the creature causing the pole to snap, leaving only the tip inside the beast. The creature roared in anger, terrifying the woman.

To avoid the beast's charging attack, the islander dashed to the nearest tree and easily scaled it as though she was a squirrel. The boar's snout rammed the base of the tree causing it to shake. The creature seemed unfazed as he shook his head and circled below the woman. The spear-head in his side continued to bleed, but the boar didn't seem to pay any attention to it; his mind was set on his attacker.

The beast roared before charging at the tree again. He hit the base once more, but the tree only shook once. The islander let out a sigh of relief. All she had to worry about now was not falling from the tree as she waited for the boar to leave.

A loud, thunderous sound erupted from the north, startling both the woman and the beast. The creature didn't hesitate to flee the area and disappeared into the thick brush of the jungle. More thunder followed as black clouds covered the sun on what was a beautiful day. Confused by the weird weather, the woman followed the sounds of the thunder until she reached the north shore of the island.

Amazement over ran fear as the islander watched three large ships attack a single one. The larger ones had the same symbol on their flags while the smaller one flew a black flag.

Screams barely reached the shore, but the wood and supplies from their ships were littering the sandy beach. Fire burst from one of the larger ships, sending people over board into the water.

The girl panicked as she noticed the men swimming to the island. Picking up some of the supplies lying around, the woman sprinted away, leaving as fast as she could. She wasn't about to be seen by men who would want her life.

She was free, and she wanted to stay that way.

X

_On board the Tyrion _

The blonde captain of the Jackdaw kept his eyes on the deck, watching the polished boots of the British general pace back and forth from man to man. A soldier stood behind each of the eight captured pirates who were forced to kneel to await their death sentences.

"Not only did we manage to sink the Jackdaw, but we also detained her captain as well," the general announced. "Edward Kenway, when I heard that you betrayed the Crown, I felt as though I, myself, had been betrayed. Once a loyal man, and now look at you, you've become a thieving rat!"

"I am still loyal, _General Arnold, _but not to the piece of shit you call a Crown." The blonde was immediately stricken by the general, but he did not falter.

"You really should have stayed a Navy captain, Mr. Kenway. The King can't wait to see your feet twitch for the last time. Take them to the Brig!"

The blonde snickered as he was pulled to his feet. "The Jackdaw is a ghost, _Arnold. _She doesn't sink."

Edward was struck in the back to start walking, so obeying for now, he followed the British soldiers into the hold of the ship. Rows of barred cages lined both sides of the hold; each able to hold five occupants at a time. The blonde continued to trail his crew members, and was about to enter a cell with them when one of the soldiers stopped him and shut the barred door after the captain's men.

"On Arnold's orders, you are to have your own person cell," the man explained.

Edward followed as they lead him to the deepest left corner to the ship's hold and opened a door that lead into a cramped cell. Pushing the blonde inside, they quickly chained both feet with separate shackles that were bolted to the floor and cuffed his wrists together. The general was taking every precaution to make sure the most allusive pirate to be captured had to stay that way until they hit port.

The soldiers left without a word, leaving the pirates in total darkness.

"What should we do, Captain?" a voice called out from the darkness.

The smirk never left the blonde's face. "Don't worry, lads, It's not about to end here."

X

"Sir, we have found survivors from the Alexandria and Troy on an island just south of here," a boy from the crow's nests called out.

General Arnold extender his scope and glanced out onto the horizon as crew members waved. "Get the boats in the water and bring them in. Make sure to round up any supplies that washed up with them and have everyone back on this ship before dusk."

His Majesty's Navy men saluted to their general before heading out to the small, inhabitable island.

X

_On the island_

"Aye, John, who's wee footprints are these?" a slightly obese man called to his fellow crew member standing off to his left. John, a muscular-built man, leaned over to observe the tracks in the sand and shook his head.

"None of the young lads made it to the island. Too small to be any of us, so my guess is a native."

"A native? This island looks to small to house a colony!"

"There's only one set. Must be by themselves, or with a small group."

"But there are no islands around for another hundred miles! You're telling me that whoever is here is either stuck or made this place home?"

"Aye. These tracks are fresh, so they watched us come ashore."

"General Arnold did say we had to pick up a cargo of slaves for His Majesty's collection once we made port. We could get him a free one."

John smirked at his friend. "The boats will be here soon. Shall we hurry?"

X

Men's hollers and bellows echoed off the canopy of the forest as the woman kept moving until she had reached the southern shores of the island. The high tide felt relaxing as they lapped over her sore, swollen feet. It was much quieter on this side of the island, she couldn't wait for the white men to leave her sanctuary and let her live out her days alone.

Taking a seat on the sand, the woman let the ocean's breeze calm her thoughts of what could happen. As long as they were on that side of the island trying to get back on their ship, then she had nothing to worry about.

Her meditation ended early as two men appeared on the shore slightly east from her destination. The obese man noticed her first and pointed. Swallowing back the lump in her throat, she repeated the mantra in her head: don't let them put fear in you.

"Oi, what have we got here? A native that happens to be a woman. Those are more expensive," the obese man stated.

"Aye, but she's got a brand. Means she is already property."

"Property I bet someone is willing to pay bags of gold to have back."

Terror struck the islander like lightning causing her to make a dash for the jungle's refuge. However, both men managed to trap her in between them and grabbed her by the waist.

"Let's get back before they leave us."

X

General Arnold circled the terrified woman who refused to look up from the wooden deck. His eyes scanned every inch of her tiny, under-fed form that seemed to shrink under his gaze.

Instead of a woman, he saw an animal; a sick, savage animal.

He didn't see a woman who barely reached twenty two years. He didn't notice that her skin was a tan, olive color from her mixed heredity of Sioux and Englishman. He never noticed that her eyes, which should have been brown, were instead green. He didn't see that her mid-back, braided hair was a light brown mixed with a hint of red. No, he never saw any of it. Arnold only saw what he wanted to see.

The brand.

She was an escaped slave, and now he had a reason not to toss her overboard to the sharks.

"I will escort the savage to the Brig myself. I want to pass on a few _messages_ to Mr. Kenway while I'm down there. You two with me, I want the rest of you on the deck. Set course to Havana."

The crew saluted before getting to work on the sails. General Arnold placed a hand on the woman's shoulder and pushed her toward the doors leading to the lower deck. One of the two soldiers opened the door and ushered her to go inside. The islander hesitated; trembling with fear.

"Best do as your told girl, or I will kill you myself," General Arnold threatened.


	3. Nothing is Impenetrable

**Day three and third chapter is up. **

**I always write pre-writes to all my stories before putting them online, but this chapter just kept growing as I worked on it. Although most of Edward's history is going to change once Black Flag is released, this is purely my own ideas of him and I am still uncertain if any of them are going to be true. **

**Enjoy**

Chapter 3: Nothing is Impenetrable

The hold doors flew open as two soldiers sauntered into the brig; each carrying a lantern. The young islander was shoved inside by General Arnold, who closed the doors behind him once they all entered. He pushed the girl once more toward the soldiers who were busy opening a cell door opposite of that of the Jackdaw pirates. They too shoved at her, this time into the cell before slamming the barred door shut.

General Arnold sneered at the savage before moving to the back of the hold with the soldiers following. The pirates across from the woman only gave her a glance over before turning their attentions to the men heading toward their Captain's cell.

Edward had made himself comfortable with his back against the wooden hold and his legs stretched out. A bruise had formed on his cheek where Arnold had punched him earlier, but the blonde didn't seem to pay attention to it. As the general approached the cell, he found the captain with his eyes closed and a small smirk played at his lips.

"And what do I owe the honor of having _General Arnold _come to visit me himself?" Edward questioned as he opened his eyes to stare at the polished man.

"Do you remember the day you fled the ports of England? When the British caught whiff of your abandonment, so they sent a small fleet for your arrest?" the general began, staring just as intensely back at the blonde.

"Aye. It was a good battle. Still wet behind the ears with only a limited crew. Not one of my best moments in history, but it did leave a scar on His Majesty's pride."

Arnold nodded to his men and they unlocked the cell door allowing the general to step inside. "On that day, I was only a captain. I had _my_ ship out there along with _my_ crew. I had been discharged from the Navy due to a war injury, but nonetheless, I still sailed for His Majesty had he made the orders." Arnold drew closer to the blonde while pulling a dagger from his belt.

"I lost everything. All my men, every soldier that served for the Crown on board that ship, was swallowed by the ocean that day. It was because of you that I begged for my position back in the Navy. I made a solemn oath to one day watch as the executioner places a rope from your neck and pulls the lever."

Arnold traced the blade across the blonde's cheek, slightly adding pressure to leave a trail of blood. Edward did not flinch as the burning feeling enflamed his skin; he didn't want the general to gain the satisfaction of causing him pain.

"This is nothing to you, is it? I remember the accident that happened a few years before you betrayed your country. Bloodiest mess I had ever seen. Do you ever miss that beauty you were courting? I went to the funeral. Her father still blames you every passing day."

Edward's eyes grew into slits in anger. He jumped to attack the man, but Arnold's blade pierced his side drawing blood and forcing the blonde to stay seated. The general smirked as he pushed the dagger slightly deeper into Edward's skin.

"Don't worry, Mr. Kenway. You will be joining her again."

Drawing his blade from the blonde's skin, Arnold re-sheathed the dagger and exited the cell. One of the soldiers closed the barred door, grabbed his lantern, and followed after the two others he was accompanying. Silence enveloped the hold once more as soon as Arnold and his men closed the doors to the Brig. Some of the pirates called out to their captain to see if he was alright, but he only grunted in return.

Due to slave laws, the islander knew she was safe from harm until she was delivered to her owner. Only her master could beat, molest, or even kill her. If anyone else were to do so, even the deliverer, the punishment could be the coin for a new slave or indentured servitude. Both were considered too much a waste to deal with, so they chose not to mess with the slaves.

But that general, he made fear run its course throughout the woman's body. How long will it be until he attacks her?

Minutes passed like hours; hours like days. The islander tried licking at her parched lips, but her mouth was so dry that it felt like sand. The pirates seemed to be handling the situation way better than the woman was; however, she knew that they mostly likely dealt with this same scenario from time to time.

Without the sun or moon, the islander felt lost. How long had it been since they locked her up? A few minutes? A few hours? A day?

"Aye, girl, where ya from?" one of the pirates asked. The woman followed his voice even though she couldn't see him. She didn't answer making him prod at her with more questions. "Oi, are ya listening? Do you even speak English?"

The woman clamped her hands over her ears to tune him out, but now the other pirates joined in. Did they not understand that she wanted to be left alone?

"Enough!" Edward's rough voice called out. The islander uncovered her ears, shocked at the silence that followed. "Leave the poor lass alone. Understood?"

There were a few mutters in reply, but then all went silent once more so only the sound of creaking wood was left to be heard.

X

"Sir, we have a ship flying a black flag coming up along the starboard bow!" a crew member called out as thunder erupted from overhead. What started as an easy, peaceful night to sail, turned into one of the worst storms to hit the Caribbean. Waves threatened to topple onto the deck as they rose and fell. Sailors knew when to call it a day, but pirates on the other hand, they held onto these nights as a challenge.

"They are stupid if they think they can attack us like this! Get all hands on deck!"

"Aye, sir!"

The mainmast of the Tyrion creaked and groaned under the pressure of the wind. Lightning lit up the sky followed shortly by a thunderous roar. Soldiers and crew members rushed on deck to catch fleeting lines and secure the ones still tied down.

"Take cover!" Arnold called out just as the quarter deck erupted with an explosion of wood. Men and supplies toppled overboard as the waves grew taller on each side of the vessel.

"Sir, the pirates are using the waves to conceal themselves from fire. We are unable to hit them!" a soldier hollered out above the storm and battle.

"Bring down top sails! We are changing route to Havana!" the general declared as he took the ship's wheel in his hands.

"But, sir, the sails-"

"The sails will hold, now follow commands!"

The soldier reluctantly nodded and scurried off.

More cannon fire was heard over the thunder and more splinted wood littered the deck. Arnold cursed under his breath, fear dredged through his blood and bones as wood groaned under pressure. The foremast snapped at its half mark taking a few crew members with it into the ocean. Soldiers and crew rushed to save the fallen men, but were swept into the water as well and were unable to make it back on board.

The mizzen mast's base finally shattered into a million pieces due to the wind's gust and began falling aft, right onto General Arnold.

X

"That sounds like our ship, lads. Everyone knows what to do." Edward smirked as he unlocked the shackles adorning his wrists in one swift motion with a lock pick. As he reached to undo his ankles, wood exploded across the hold taking three men with it. "Looks like we need to rush this, boys."

Water rushed into the prison cells at an alarming rate causing a few of the pirates and the islander to panic. The calmer pirates picked at the locks of the cell doors; their trembling hands making it harder to open. The woman was petrified with fear. She watched as the pirates finally freed themselves and moved on to opening their captain's cell.

"I'll get myself out, just help the girl and get off this ship!" Edward ordered. The men seemed reluctant at first, but nodded before waddling in knee deep water to the islander's cell. Three of the four pirates had already left, leaving one man in charge of freeing the terrified woman. The burly pirate's trembling hands worsened as the water level began to rise his waist. Another cannonball burst through the hold's wood causing the pirate to drop the lock pick.

"Shit!" the man cursed aloud. He looked at the water, the door's lock, then at the woman; his facial expression was that of regret. "Sorry, but you are on your own."

The woman watched in terror as the man left her to die. She stared down into the water and swallowed the lump in her throat.

After all she had been through, she was not about to die a prisoner.

The islander dove into the murky liquid rubbing her hands against the wooden floors hoping for a miracle. The dive produced nothing causing the girl to surface for air. The water was rising faster now, she had one last chance.

Taking in a deep breath, the woman dove under once more, focusing her will power to find that lock pick. As her lungs grew heavy and sore, the need to surface became more stressful. Lying her hands on the bottom to push herself to the surface, a light piece of metal brushed against the palm of her hand nearly startling her. Picking it up, she quickly rose from the water which was now at her shoulders. Stealing a glace at what she just found, the islander was amazed to see that she had found the pick.

Waddling closer to the door, the woman inserted the thin metal piece into the lock and began to fiddle with the mechanics. Not quite sure what she was doing, the islander just moved the pick up and down, back and forth until she felt a click. The door slowly swung open with the water's current quickly changing the woman's demeanor.

The hold's doors were wide open, beckoning the woman to return to the outside. Just as she reached the threshold, the sound of a man grunting caught her attention. After what just happened, the islander's adrenaline almost made her forget that the blonde was still locked in his cell. Glancing back at the hold's doors, the woman growled in frustration before rushing back into the flooded Brig.

Edward had one ankle free, but his trembling fingers would steady so he could unlock the other. Blood loss was kicking in from the wound on his side; his actions becoming sluggish. The water level did not help with the situation either. The restraint didn't stretch far enough to allow the captain to refill his lungs in order to keep at the lock.

The woman picked at the blonde's cell door until she felt the familiar click. When rushing inside the cell, the woman became terrified when she noticed the man going limp in the water. Diving below, the islander felt along Edward's leg until she felt the texture of cold steel. The pick slid gently into the shackle lock and the islander worked at the device with what little time she had.

Horror paralyzed her as she felt the pick break inside the shackle lock. This was her only chance to save him, and if she did not get out soon, she was going to die with him. That's when it hit her, literally.

The lock pick that Edward had been using finally freed itself from his hands and landed on the woman's head, startling her. She was given a second chance.

Due to the already broken piece inside the shackle, the new lock pick only took a few seconds of fiddling before the metal slackened and fell to the floor. The islander grabbed the blonde by the coat and pulled him from the cell. The water was now inches from the hold doors as the two surfaced. The woman breathed in a heavy amount of air and coughed out water that was stirring in her lungs.

She dragged the unconscious captain into the Orlop section of the ship which was barely wet from the oceans unrelenting forces. The woman leaned over the blonde's chest, the thump of a heart beat was missing and no air expelled from his lungs.

Placing the heel her right hand on top of captain's breastbone before putting her left hand on top of her right, the islander straightened her arms and began to press down on the man's torso. She continued to do this, checking every so often to see if his heart was pumping again.

The procedure alone was not working. Despite her nervousness, the woman reluctantly pinched the blonde's nose shut and put her lips over his in a seal and pushed air into his lungs. Two seconds passed and the islander followed up by pushing on his chest again.

A gurgle erupted from Edward's throat before water rushed from his mouth. His coughs were rough and painful as he heaved the water onto the wood. His sea-colored eyes were blurred and his motions were slow as he pulled himself off the floor. The ship arced slightly, causing the man to fall against a wall for support. The woman rushed to his side and pulled his arm around her neck. She laced her arm around his waist and dragged him out of the vessel and into the night air.

The woman braced herself to walk into chaos, but not like this. The ship leaned heavily to the left while pirates and soldiers fought for control. Fire burned at the sails which drew too close to powder kegs, causing an eruption to burst through the entire length of the ship. Those who chose to flee, jumped overboard into shark infested waters.

"Go abeam to starboard, our rescue vessel will be waiting for us there," Edward muttered. He hissed as he grabbed a hold of the wound on his side; the gash reopened letting more blood run freely.

The islander glanced around the ship, confused at what the blonde was saying. Nothing could be seen through the billows of black smoke which frustrated the woman.

"That way!" the captain called as he pointed to the right. Why had he not just said that in the first place?

Pulling the blonde more securely over her shoulder, the woman crawled at a turtle's pace toward the edge of the ship. Edward was heavy on the islander's tiny form; she felt like an ant carrying a tree.

A redcoat fell in front of the two causing the woman to jump slightly. A throwing knife penetrated his back as blood seeped onto the deck. Putting a foot on the soldier's back, the islander pulled the dagger from his skin and put the blade in her belt loop.

The two kept moving forward as more men fell around them dressed in their own blood. Another explosion erupted behind them sending the islander and captain to fall forward to the deck. The woman was the first one up; she glanced around at the destruction before turning to see the blonde trying to pull himself to his feet.

The islander was about to rush over to his side when someone grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to a standing position. She grunted in pain and tried to hit her assailant, but they wrapped their arm around her neck and placed the cool metal of a pistol barrel to her forehead.

"Don't you dare try anything, Kenway, or I blow the savage's brains out!" Arnold bellowed over the sounds of battle.

The blonde finally pulled himself to this feet. He staggered slightly, but held onto the ship's railing for support. "I thought you knew me better, _General. _I don't know the girl; therefore, why should I worry myself with what happens to her?"

"Because I know what you are, Kenway. I know about your brotherhood and what they stand for. If I don't have your head, the Templars will!"

The girl swallowed the lump in her throat as she watched the blonde's reaction. Although his demeanor was calm, his eyes showed that he was lying. He did not want the life of an innocent on his hands.

Taking the blade from her belt loop, the woman jabbed it backwards right into Arnold's ribs. His grip loosened letting her maneuver away before punching him square in the jaw.

Arnold took a few seconds to recover before aiming his pistol right at the islander. Her body froze in fear as she watched his thumb cock the pistol's hammer. She closed her eyes as the sound of gun fire deafened her, but the pain never came. The woman opened one eye slowly to see Arnold's coat stain red as he fell to the deck. Her body trembled at the sight and tears build in her eyes, but never fell.

"C'mon, the ship's going down!" Edward yelled as he pulled at the woman's arm. Through the smoke, another ship appeared with men hollering battle cries. The hooks and planks connecting the two ships were being taken away leaving the two stranded.

"We need to jump!" the blonde stated before hopping on top of the ship's railing. The woman slowly joined him and watched at the pirate ship drifted further away. Edward laced his arm around the woman's waist, pulling her tightly against him before jumping into the tropical waters.

The storm had receded into a light rain but the waves were still rising and falling at a tremendous rate. The islander felt herself going under a few times, but the blonde held on tightly to her to prevent it. The pirate ship's hull was getting closer giving the two the opportunity to grab a hold of the wood.

"We need to climb," Edward explained as he pulled the islander from the water onto the hull's paneling. "I need you to climb first." The woman gave him a look before slowly grabbing onto any ledges she could find and pulled herself further away from the water's surface. She slipped every so often, but she managed to catch herself before falling.

Finally grabbing hold the deck's railing, the woman pulled herself over the ship's edge onto the wooden surface. She sat their catching her breath as Edward hopped over the railing to join her.

"It's like seeing a ghost!" a burly voice called out over the sounds of cheers. The blonde looked up at the black-bearded pirate before giving him a smirk.

"Good to see that you made it to the ball, Thatch," Edward replied.

The older man heartily laughed while placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "When your men returned to shore with a beaten boat and no captain, most of us assumed the worst, but ya know I don't think so little of ya."

"How does my crew fair?"

"I told them to take to port and have the Jackdaw repaired immediately. They wanted to sail back out here on planks if it meant stopping the British. I'm almost jealous of their loyalty."

"Looks like I owe you one."

"I'll add it to others. Now may I ask why ya bring a woman on board my vessel. I don't want to be cursed now of all times."

Looking back at the islander, Edward examined her beaten before turning back to the black-bearded man. "I am in her debt. I'll take responsibility for any _curses._"

Thatch glanced over at the islander with beady brown eyes. "Aye. I'll leave her to your care then. That means keep her away from my men. There's more reasons why woman are not allowed on board than just curses, lad."


	4. The Deal

**Sorry for not posting this chapter yesterday like I was going to do, but when you work and have a boyfriend who likes to spend a lot of time together, it does mess with your personal schedule. Also, I had to completely redo this entire chapter after I read my pre-write for it. Some things do sound better at the time than a little further down the road. I also did a little research about the time period which took up a lot of time to find. **

**Anyway, Enjoy **

Chapter 4: The Deal

_Havana_

Ever since Sebastián de Ocampo's circumnavigation of Cuba in 1509, the Spanish invaded and conquered most of the island. On August 25th, 1515, Conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar founded was going to be one of the most flourishing ports to hit the Caribbean: Havana.

Because of its success, Havana did not find itself without a few enemies. Pirates, bandits, and French corsairs frequently attacked and burned the port starting in 1555 causing action to be taken by the Spanish Crown. Fortresses were erected not only to defend the port, but to also take more control of the West Indies, and put a stop to the contrabando: the black market.

As the years passed, Spanish galleons traveled in fleets with trading ships to more securely guard the worldly treasures on board. Less attacks followed and trade increased. Soon, the port would expand and be the capitol of Cuba and more fortresses would be erected.

Both bandit and pirate alike knew not to hit the main harbor of the capitol. If they ever needed to trade or make port, they would have to travel a few leagues down the coast at the former location of a wealthy black market merchant. The place had long been abandoned, but pirates still flocked to it when they made port.

The Jackdaw crew cheered as their captain boarded the half repaired ship that was on the verge of collapsing just a day prior. Behind him, Black-beard followed with the reluctant native in tow.

"Thatch here has given me the information bestowed upon him when you reached port. I know we lost a few men. Good men. The same men we call brothers, but we can not let that hinder us." Edward glanced at each member of his crew as he spoke. "We must let their deaths inspire us. We will give a toast in their honor to each man we have lost, and then kill every last bastard who subjects himself to the Crown and tries to take away our freedom!"

The crew hollered and cheered at the captain's speech. Edward smiled as they all quickly returned to work; eager to get the ship repaired.

The blonde captain motioned toward the woman and Black-beard to follow him into his cabin. The interior, although not as bad as the outside, was a wreck. The desk was flipped, documents and maps were strewn everywhere, while the windows were blown and shattered glass littered the floor.

"Looks like your crew hasn't bothered cleaning this up," Thatch stated.

"That's because they are not allowed to without my orders," Edward replied. He readjusted the desk and began picking up the papers, placing them back in their rightful spots.

"So now that you are done running a fool's errand, do ya plan on staying port side for a while, or are ya gonna take her back out to the seas again?"

"Had one of my men not double-crossed me, that voyage would have never happened, but seeing as how the ship needed work done, now would be the perfect opportunity to do such. Do you plan on taking off soon?"

"Just staying the night, Kenway. My men caught whiff of a drunken sailor blabbering on about a Spanish galleon heading north with some important merchandise. Thought I'd check it out."

Edward smirked as he placed a tankard into a cabinet. "Then I wish you luck. You know the Spanish send their ships in fleets."

"Aye, but enough about me. What do you plan on doing with the lass?"

Both pirates glanced at the silent woman in the cabin making her advert her eyes.

"I still owe that debt," Edward said as he turned his full attention to the native. "Aye, girl, do you speak English?"

The woman glanced at both men. Both were intimidating which made her wonder why she followed them here when she could of just fled once they hit port. She nodded slowly adverting her eyes once again.

"There's a start. So what's your name, lass?" Black-beard asked as he lit a match to his pipe.

The woman was quiet as the two men stared her down. She kept opening her mouth to answer, but quickly closed it shut seconds after.

"Do you not have a name?" the blonde questioned.

"I was never given one," the native finally replied never once looking at either of them. Her English was choppy and her accent was beyond that of British.

"You've spent this much time in your life with no name?" Edward questioned.

"Aye, lad. For a man as smart as you are, you are being dense. Check her collar." The blonde gave Black-beard a look before strolling over to the native. Frightened by the action, the woman backed against a wall, trapping herself. Edward slowly pulled down the neck of the brown rags the native called cloths to see a sickening scar that was burned into her skin.

"A slave brand?"

"That's not just any brand, lad. That's His Majesty's brand."

The woman looked back and forth at the two men before trying to dash to the cabin doors. Edward grabbed her by the waist and dragged her over to a chair before pushing her into the plush seating.

"We could care less if you were a slave, let alone the King's slave," Edward explained.

"So I am not going back to England?"

"If you don't want to, then you wont," Edward replied.

The woman let out a relieving sigh before leaning back in the chair. "So I am free to go?"

Both men nodded; however, Edward stopped her from getting up from the chair. "I am a man of my word, and I did say that I owed you." The blonde crouched down on the floor looking up at the native. "Is there anything you wish for?"

The woman glanced into the blonde's sea-colored eyes and nodded. "I was supposed to go to New York."

Black-beard nearly choked on his pipe while Edward forced back a smirk.

"Lass, do you know how many British Navy vessels are in those waters?"

"Her mind looks made up, Thatch. A Kenway always repays his debts," the blonde gave the older man a cocky grin. "And when have I ever not been able to handle sailing past a few ships?"

"Shall I tell the tale of what just happened to you and your near-death experience?"

"May I remind that I had a rat on board?"

"And what if you have another one on board again? I won't be there to bail you out again."

"It will not happen again."

The older man _hmphed _before standing straight and heading for the cabin door. "I see ya at the bar tonight?"

Edward nodded making Thatch leave without another word. The blonde watched the door, counting the heavy man's steps before turning back to the native. "Since we are going to be traveling with one another, might as well give yourself a name to go by."

The woman seemed shocked by his statement, but didn't say another word.

"I'm unaware how the Indians are named, so you will have to excuse my ignorance of what to call you….How about Constance?"

"Constance?" the woman repeated. She did like the sound of it.

"Would you prefer another?"

"N-no, the name is fine. It is the first thing anyone has ever given me."

Edward's heart saddened for the woman. He may be a ruthless pirate, but he always had a soft spot for those under privileged. "Since we are taking you, I will have to move some of the crew around and get you a place to sleep. I think-"

"No! I-I mean…I don't want to be under the deck."

The blonde arced a brow at the woman, "Then where would you sleep? The crow's nest?"

"I wouldn't mind. It would be like sleeping in a tree."

Edward couldn't contain his laughter at the woman's simplicity. "I can't necessarily do that, but I'm sure I will think of something."

"M-may I ask a question? About being a pirate?" the woman stuttered in her broken English.

"What is it you want to know, _Constance?" _

The name sent chills down the native's spine; she loved how he pronounced it. "All my life, I had to listen to my masters speak ill of pirates. Is it true? The raiding, the pillaging, the gambling, and whoring?"

"You forgot drinking, love."

"So it is true?"

Edward gave the woman his trademark smirk. "Aye, it is, but we don't do it just for the fun of it; even though it does play a part. We pirates do such things to take what the Crown and parliament took from us: money, families, and freedom. Being a pirate is like being a bird. You are free to make your own choices. Only nature controls your course."

"But what do you do when His Majesty finally catches you?"

"Then you show him the true animal."

X

Dusk was settling on the horizon when Edward emerged from his cabin, nearing the time when he was supposed to meet with Thatch. Constance had fallen asleep in the chair while the blonde was cleaning the quarters; it had been days since she last rested. Edward moved her light physique to his bed and placed a blanket over her sleeping form. He figured she wouldn't wake anytime soon.

The Kraken's Lair was a half-inn, half-bar that was owned and ran by Bran Kronogroff, a Viking-sized brute with a bald head, but burley beard. His life as a pirate ended when he 'took an arrow to the knee.' Anyone who didn't know the meaning behind the words actually thought it to be true, until they found out that he eloped with a Spanish beauty.

Edward maneuvered away from the crowded bar and toward some solitary tables in the back. Black-beard sat at a table for two with a bottle of rum in one hand, his pipe in the other. His gaze was locked on two gentlemen wearing elegant jewelry with coin purses loaded with gold.

"Why do ninnies like those two, who never lifted a finger for labor, come to a bar like this?"

"Men like them grow tired of their repetitive lives and venture out into territories like this. If they make it back home, then they have something new to gossip about."

"Aye. You know those kinds of people well, don't ya, Kenway?"

"I was never like them. I may have been privileged, but I didn't abuse it."

"I am just messin with ya, lad. You make for a finer pirate than a sailor."

"Is the reason you called me here is to talk about my past?"

"Not at all." Black-beard produced a letter from his coat and handed it to the blonde. "Intercepted a letter from the _Tyrion_ when we raided it. Most of it goes on about the recent pirates they've captured. His Majesty is increasing the bounty on your head and wants to personally be there at your hanging."

"I haven't exactly made him my friend."

"Stay out of their waters for a bit, lad. If you lay low long enough, they might assume you traveled to the east Indies."

"It's a cowards approach, might as well show them they have all rights to fear us."

"Even a sailor knows when the waters are treacherous, boy. You are letting your ego rule your judgment."

"Thatch, I am sailing once my ship is ready. I will be taking the girl to the colonies and sailing back to the Caribbean. As long as I avoid trouble, this should be a simple expedition."

"There is nothing easy about sailing those waters, lad."

"If you have nothing more to say, I must be on my way." Edward pushed himself off the wooden chair and began to walk away when Black-beard called out to him.

"Aye. I over heard a few workers at the docks talking about a negotiation between the Spanish and British fleets. Your boy, Philip, is in town."


	5. How to be a Pirate

Chapter 5: How to be a Pirate

_On board the Jackdaw_

Constance's eyes fluttered opened as she almost fell off the plush bed she was lying on. Her heartbeat raced as the last of the terrifying images faded from her memory.

_It was only a dream, _the native thought to herself as she exhaled a relaxing breath. Glancing around the room, the last few days came washing over her as she tried to figure out where she was. At first, Constance believed she was in a house or inn, but the blown windows at the back of the room reminded her she was on board a pirate ship.

She tried to remember what happened before she passed out, but she was so tired that yesterday's events fled from her thoughts. Placing her feet on the newly cleaned floors, the native stumbled out of the cabin into the crisp, morning air. The ship seemed unusually quiet save for one or two men polishing down the new wood put in the day before.

"You are up quite early," a voice startled the native. Constance sharply turned to see a brute-sized man with long hair tied back in a pony-tail and a beard that challenged a Viking's walking down the steps of the deck above her. The woman was barely over half his height. "I see ya slept in Captain Kenway's bed, have fun did ya?"

Constance blushed at his forwardness. "N-no, well, I-I mean yes, I slept in his bed, b-but we didn't-"

The man laughed as he nudged the woman softly on the shoulder. "I'm only joking with ya, lass. Mr. Kenway has kept to his business all night, so I know nothing has happened."

"Oh…" Constance glanced out at the port and noticed more of the crew unloading shipments of lumber off of a carriage. "Is everyone always this busy?"

"Captain's orders for an early repairing. The afternoons are hot and muggy; not a great time to put in a lot effort."

"When will the ship be ready to sail?"

"If all goes well today, should be able to take off the day after tomorrow. Eager to get to your destination and away from pirates, eh?"

Constance blushed once more. "Not at all. I was only curious about learning about the pirate life before we leave."

The man arced a brow at the native. "You want to learn about pirates?"

"I do not know much. I've only heard rumors and gossip from my former masters, and your Captain has assured me of no harm, but I still feel uncertain."

"Because you know nothing about them?" Constance nodded making the man pat her once more on the shoulder. "Well, if ya'd like, after today's work is over, I could give ya some advice that could put your mind ta rest."

The native looked the burley man in the eyes judging his emotion. "You would not mind?"

"Not at all, lass. Captain says that ya are gonna be like one of the crew, might as well get ta know ya like one."

X

_Kraken's Lair…Later that evening_

"The trick is not to drink too much until you get used ta it, but to find out your limit and push it slowly," Rory "Bigfoot" Tucker tutored as he gulped down his entire tankard.

"Like when you train your body?" Constance asked.

"Exactly. The best way is to start off with something light, like wine, and work ya way up."

"What do I do if I reach my limit?"

"Slow down and take sips. Do not just engulf it."

The native watched as the Jackdaw crew drank their body weight in booze. The men seemed so carefree after all that had been through in the past few days.

"Can you tell me what your captain is like?" Constance asked as she sipped at her drink.

"Fancying him, are ya?" the burley pirate grinned.

"N-no," the woman blushed. "He is just so-"

"Mysterious?"

The woman nodded before downing the rest of her drink. Rory poured her another cup before refilling his own. "All you need to worry about is how he presents himself into front of ya. That is the only image ya need to keep. He does not like when people meddle in his private affairs."

"And no one questions him?"

"He is as great a captain as any. His private business doesn't interfere with what we do, so we don't ask. Also, I'm pretty sure the crew is too scared to even think about it. You haven't seen Mr. Kenway fight yet. There is a reason he is called the demon of the sea."

"I guess I understand." Constance took another swig of her drink, clearing the last drop of the tankard's contents.

"Woah, slow down there, lass. Can't have ya returning to the ship drunk." The burley man took the cup from the protesting woman, ignoring her slurring words. "I'm sure the Captain wants you to stay sober in the mean time."

"Who cares what your Captain thinks? He most likely considers me cargo anyway."

"Now that ain't true. I was on the _Tyrion, _you know? I watched what ya did to resurrect him. I missed a bit of how you helped him off the boat, but I saw what I needed to see. Pirate or not, that is a debt you can't fully repay unless you do it with your own life."

"So taking me to the colonies and risking all of your lives is nothing?"

"For what you did, you are asking little in return."

Constance glanced at the rum bottle in the pirate's hand, watching as the red liquid sloshed around every time the burley man moved. "So drinking, gambling, whoring, and raiding….are those the only things that pirates do?"

"You forgot pillaging."

"So every pirate does it all? Even the Captain?"

"Aye. Our special little of breed of bandits don't exactly live very long. If the Crown doesn't catch ya, the storms and terrain will. Some ships have crew members that die of diseases almost everyday."

"So it gives you reason to do such things?"

"It gives us all the more reason. As you can see, lass, we are not all bad people. We are rebels in a world that demands control. We live everyday like it is our last."

The native glanced around the bar, examining the Jackdaw crew. They each had a smile on their face whether they were flirting with wenches or gambling away their earnings. Only a day at port, and every single one of them looked at home. The only person missing was Kenway, and he retired to his bed early.

"Do you believe I will ever be able to survive like a pirate?" the question was meant to be rhetorical, but Constance really wanted an answer.

The man was silent for a minute, taking a few sips of his drink as he contemplated what the woman had just said. "Living like a pirate and surviving like one is different. Living means that ya can kill a man without flinching. Ya take your share in gold and treasures and spend them drinking and gambling. The whoring is a bonus. Surviving like a pirate, now that is something else. I guess the best way to explain it is that it means to fight back against all those who oppress ya."

"Do you have an opinion about myself?"

Rory glanced down at the woman to his left. Her green eyes gazing into his fiercely. "Aye, lass. I see something in ya that could make it like a pirate."

X

It was late when Constance stumbled onto the Jackdaw. The ship creaked as the waves rocked it back and forth, making the native's stomach turn in disgust. Since the entire crew was either at port drinking their hearts out or already below deck sleeping, the ship was silent throughout. All except for one place.

The captain's quarter's light still burned, shining light through the crack at the bottom of the door. Soft moans echoed off the wood making the native blush at the realization of what was going on. Moving away from the cabin area, Constance quickly rushed up the ropes leading to the crow's nest of the main mast. Since the crew didn't expect to depart for another day or so, the woman made herself comfortable and let the waves rock her to sleep

X

_Several hours later_

Edward gave out one last grunt before he released himself into the red-headed beauty underneath him. The woman moaned seductively in response as the blonde laid on top of her, still sheathed insider her warmth; too tired to at least roll-over onto the bed.

"For a man who's worked so hard today, you can sure as hell still please a woman at night," the wench purred into his ear.

"Tis a gift," Edward replied as he finally moved over onto the mattress. The woman laid her head on top of the blonde's chest, listening to the sound of his heart.

"You wouldn't happen to be in town again anytime soon?"

"Sorry, love. My crew and I set sail the day after tomorrow."

The woman pouted as she got up to look the blonde. "Do tell me you are going to at least come see me before you leave?"

_Beautiful, but dumb, _Edward thought to himself as he ran a hand through the woman's red hair. "Of course." The wench smiled as she moved out of the bed, the silk sheets sliding away from her curvy form. Edward watched in amusement as she dressed herself slowly thinking that is was actually teasing him. "And where might I find you tomorrow, love?" the blonde asked, playing along with the charade.

"I get off work at the inn at dusk. Now I must be off if I want to beat my husband home." the red-head gave Edward a wink before disappearing from the cabin and into the late-night air.

As the wench left the quarters, she accidentally bumped into another human being. She apologized quickly, but stopped as soon as she noticed it was another woman.

"What are you doing here, savage? Are you lost?" the red-head questioned, glaring daggers at the brunette.

Constance shrugged the woman's way before looking at the cabin doors. "Just a member of the crew. Is the Captain awake?"

"He is resting," the woman replied harshly.

The native nodded before turning to examine the wench. "If you find me a threat, don't waste your time. The Captain has no interest in me nor I with him. Our relationship is merely professional."

The woman sneered, but seemed to buy it. "Is it true you leave soon?"

"It is what the crew was told." The woman's face fell before she began walking away. Constance watched as she disappeared off the docks and into the night.

_Just one of the many victims to be serenaded into the devil's trap, _the native thought to herself.

"Merely professional? Now that's boring." Constance jumped in surprise before sharply turning to see the half-naked captain leaning on his cabin's threshold.

He wore only his pants that were still unbuttoned and very close to showing more of him than the woman wished to see. Tattoos covered both of his pectoral muscles and one glistened from the moon's light on his right arm. The brunette had to admit that she was shocked at how built and muscular Edward was. Most captains, pirate and sailor alike, let themselves go and let their crew do the work while they reaped all the riches. This man seemed to be chiseled by the gods themselves.

"Like what ya see?" Constance immediately shut her gaping mouth causing the Captain's smirk to grow. "So, I've heard you've taken interest on the life of a pirate. Since you already chose Tucker as your drinking mentor, mind if I show ya how to gamble and whore?"

Constance's cheeks burned a dark red, making her eyes drop to the deck in an attempt to advert her vision away from the blonde. "I-I was only curious about what it meant to be a pirate. Learning how to drink just somehow became part of the lesson."

The smirk never left Edward's face as he pushed himself off the wood paneling. "If you would like, I was about to have a drink. I'm open to answering any of your questions about us pirates if you join me."

"S-sorry, but I've already had too much." The native quickly turned away and was about to head back to her place on top the crow's nest when the blonde's voice stopped her.

"You show no fear amongst my men, but the moment you see me, it's as though you think I have the plague."

Constance glanced at the pirate who stood in the doorway of his cabin; his back was straight, creating the illusion of a taller man. "Your crew has nothing to hide, but you-you obviously do."


	6. Setting Sail

Chapter 6: Setting Sail

_Last Day at Port_

The Kraken's Lair was bustling with activity as Constance entered the bar. Merriment and banter never felt out of place in this drunken hole.

"Well look who it is. Thought yesterday's drinking would have ya bed ridden," Rory stated as he poured a tankard for the native woman.

Constance sat down next to the Viking of a man and gladly took the drink. "You were right about the headaches, but you never mentioned vomiting."

"Oops, sorry about that, lass," Rory laughed.

Glancing around the bar, the native woman noticed that the Jackdaw captain was no where present. "Why doesn't Mr. Kenway join you? Isn't a day of celebration seeing as how your boat is repaired?"

"Tis a ship, lass. Never say boat, could get ya in trouble. Anyway, that is more of a sailor's tradition. If a pirate chooses to be anti-social, who are we to judge? We are about freedom, are we not?"

Constance nodded in understanding as she glanced down at the red liquid rippling in cup. "Our last day here and the only thing I know is how a pirate drinks. When am I going to learn how they gamble?"

The burley man gave the small woman a look before taking a swig of his drink. "Drinking and gambling are just small things, lass. Who knows if ya are going to see us fight and conquer a Spanish galleon. Now that would be something to learn how to do."

"To fight?"

"Aye. Have you ever-ya know-killed anything before?"

"I've fished and hunted before, but nothing bigger than a rabbit."

"So you know how ta use a knife?"

Constance nodded before finishing her drink. "I don't think I will ever be able to kill a human though. I couldn't even kill a boar."

"I see." Rory finished off his tankard before turning to examine the native woman's tired features. "You did say ya wanted to know if ya could survive like a pirate, so how about this: I teach ya."

Constance nearly choked on her newly pour drink as the words left the burley man's mouth. "What?"

"Ya heard me, lass. You seemed so set on knowing if ya could, well, let me train ya and see." The native woman was shocked at the announcement and couldn't seem to say anything in return. "I take that as a yes?"

X

_On board the Jackdaw…later that evening_

"Any new updates on our guest?" Edward questioned as he handed a tankard to the man sitting across from him.

"Her drinking is improving and I've tried to sending her to you for the gambling lessons, but now she wants to learn how to fight," Rory replied as he accepted the cup.

"Really now? How did you reply to all this?"

"Well, technically speaking, I kinda asked if she wanted ta learn; she just happily accepted."

"Are you going to teach her yourself, or are you going to get one of the other crew members to help out with this?"

"You know I'm a brute fighter, Captain. She is going to need someone more quaint to her size. Someone small and quick."

Edward smirked as he polished off his drink. "Anything else?"

"She is becoming more interested in the pirate life. Think she may join us?"

"I wouldn't put that down as a wager. Being a former slave who most likely escaped on her own, she had to learn to camouflage herself, so she could make her way out of England. She is doing the same now, the more we accept her, the less she worries about treachery."

"Smart woman."

"Aye. She is indeed."

X

_The next morning_

The deck of the Jackdaw was bustling with activity. A few of the men were carrying the last of the supplies on board while others secured lines. Constance didn't know what to do as she watched the crew make last minute arrangements.

Some of the crew pushed the small woman around roughly as they worked like it was a game. Most of them snickered, the others laughed aloud. Constance was on the verge of lashing out at the men, when she saw Edward beckon to her from the front of the ship.

Pushing down her anger, the native made her way past the crew and met up with the blonde who was standing on the empty forecastle. As she approached, Edward pulled on a steel circle lying on the deck, which opened to show a staircase leading into a hidden compartment in the figurehead of the ship.

"I made a slight modification during repairs. Since you hated the idea of sleeping below the decks, I had the figurehead hollowed and furnished for your quarters. You will literally be suspended above the water."

Constance examined the room with mild interest. "Is it safe?"

"Tested it myself. There's enough room to place any belongings and still be able to move around. There is also room for two in the bed if you ever feel the need for a companion." The blond winked at the woman, but she rolled her eyes at his gesture. "There is also a lock on the inside if you wish to have privacy."

"Thank you for this, but for only being a temporary passenger, you didn't have to make me my own room."

"A woman on board a ship full of men is not entirely safe no matter the number of friends. Also, once we've made port in the colonies, the room will most likely become an extra storage space which the ship desperately needs."

Constance fought back the smile wanting to form on her face. At least she knew he cared about her well-being. That's when the thought hit here. "What am I to do about cloths and bathing? I will not be able to wash on board."

"Welcome to the pirate life where smelling nice is limited. I cant promise a bath, but I can provide some extra cloths that no longer fit the younger lads. Have you been wearing those rags for a while?"

Constance glanced down at the brown, tattered dress that she had worn for as long as she could remember. She washed them when she could, but she had never known what real cloths felt like. "I've had them since I've left England. Slaves were forbidden from owning property."

"Clothes are considered property?"

"To the British, yes."

Edward's face held no emotion as he imagined the life this woman had. He lived in poverty for most of his life; however, that all changed after he joined as a privateer under the King. He sacrificed everything, and he never looked back; just like this woman was doing. Constance was born a slave and destined to die one. All slaves, mostly woman, were subjected to beatings, rapes, and torture. The question of how she escaped still nagged at the back of Edward's mind, but he knew now was not the time to ask.

"Sir, the ship is ready to set sail," a lanky man called from the ropes.

"Every man to his post!" the blonde captain ordered as he made his way to the wheel of the ship. "Lower half-sails!"

The white pieces of cloth gracefully opened immediately catching wind. Edward held on to the ship's wheel as the vessel moved out onto open waters. Ocean stretched beyond the horizon, beckoning for exploration, and the captain planned on doing so. The blonde's attention traveled over to Constance who began to climb the foremast until she was sitting on the wooden structure that held the foresail. The woman was limber like a squirrel, which peaked the captain's interest.

She was a good candidate for-

The blonde shook his head of the crazy thought. The woman was no killer.

"Captain. Which port will we be dropping the lass off at?" Edward's quartermaster asked as he approached the man.

"She mentioned New York, but Boston will fair better in our favor," the blonde replied as his attention returned to the native woman.

"Aye. I'll set a course."

Edward nodded, but continued to watch the woman. She seemed fascinated by the view of the ocean and ship. Had this been her first voyage on the decks?

"Top sails!"

Every sail soared as the wind favored the ship's course. Edward smirked to himself as the Jackdaw continued into open waters.

This was going to be an easy trip.


	7. Apology

Chapter 7: Apology

_Day three at sea_

Unlike her first voyage on the ocean, Constance managed to adapt to her sea legs faster, stopping her seasickness all together. The ocean's current plus the perfect wind made the past few days easy terrain, but the native knew the tides would change soon. Nothing was ever this simple.

"You're starting to look like a pirate. Surprised ya don't smell like one," Rory stated as he patted the short woman on the back.

Constance's new look felt out of place from what she spent her life wearing. Both the white shirt and navy blue coat swallowed her petite form while she had to punch a new hole in a belt just to have her black trousers stay up. The boots were a gift from one of the younger boys, which remarkably were the only item of clothing that fit.

"I reek of alcohol if that's enough," the native replied making the big man laugh.

"Aye, ya do, but at least you don't smell like you've been rolling around at pig's pen."

Constance wrinkled her nose at the thought making Rory laugh harder.

"So what have ya been doing on board? Haven't seen much of ya."

The small woman glanced over at the blonde captain who was busy giving orders to some men before looking out at the ocean. "I've been trying to convince David to teach me how to successfully gamble, but he is constantly refusing."

Rory patted the native on the shoulder. "He might come around sooner or later. David isn't one to trust easily."

"I still believe that the Captain ordered him not to teach me," Constance replied and the giant couldn't help but laugh.

_You don't know how right you are, _Rory thought to himself. "Now why do ya think that? He obviously likes the fact that you are curious about us. Not many land-lovers want to get close, let alone learn how to be a pirate. Why don't ya just take the Captain's offer? I bet it's still on the table."

"I don't know. I feel like the only thing he wants to do is get me into his bed."

"Now, lass, ya can't think like that-"

"But what if it's true? He's given me more than I could ever ask for, and all I did was pull him from that cell. What if he wants something else from me?"

Rory gave the native a look before looking at the crew. "Look around ya at the men. None of them woke up one morning saying they wanted to be a pirate. They didn't just jump aboard the first ship ta hit port and took off on an adventure. Some of them were drunks, fugitives, out of the job, or homeless. Do you know why they serve so loyally? Because Captain Kenway gave them a second chance. He has given them a home, food, and the opportunity to travel and take back their lives. When ya pulled the Captain from that cell, ya gave him the chance ta continue what he does, and all ya asked for was a trip home. He is only repaying his debts in full amount."

Constance was shocked at Rory's speech. She had not expected sincere words from a man who looked like he could pummel a boar with his fists.

"I have been a bit harsh, haven't I?"

Rory patted the small woman on the shoulder with a sad smile on his lips. "I'm sure the Captain understands. You're a woman with a lot of history."

Constance couldn't help but ring her hands together as the familiar uncomfortable anxiety flooded into her bones. She needed to speak with Edward.

X

The native woman stood outside the Captain's door, too scared to knock. Night had just settled, making most of the crew call it a day. Kenway's quartermaster was busy handling the wheel while the boy in the crow's nest was dozing off. Taking in a deep breath of air and exhaling, Constance rapped on the door twice.

"Come in," Edward's voice called.

Slightly hesitant, the woman opened the door slowly and slipped inside the Captain's quarters. The blonde was at his table, bottle of rum in one hand, some documents in the other. Edward didn't even bother to glance at Constance as she approached.

"Something wrong, lass?"

The woman tensed up and began ringing her fingers together as she watched her feet. "I wanted to first apologize for my recent behavior. Rory says it was only natural that I would have trust issues, but I feel like an idiot for ignoring the man who has given me so much."

The blonde brought the bottle to his lips as he still read the documents. A faint smirk played at his lips. "All is well. Your judgment of me was for your own safety; a natural habit found in both human and animals. Pirates are known for their ruthlessness, and being a man with more secrets that others, you chose to place defenses against my advances. To be quite honest, I'd say your judgment is much sharper than you think."

A slight tint of red lit up on the woman's cheeks. "So I do have a reason to guard myself against you?"

Edward's smirk grew. "Not at all. I may be ruthless, but I was raised to be a gentleman. No harm will come to you as long as I am still Captain."

Constance glanced at the blonde as he placed the documents on the table and brought the bottle of rum to his lips and chugged down the rest. He stood from his chair and began walking over to his bed. Edward stumbled as he pulled his boots from his feet while his arms worked lazily at the leather straps holding his flintlocks and swords to his torso.

"Are you drunk?" the native woman asked as the blonde finally removed his weapons. The blonde proceeded to remove his shirt, showing off a tattoo on his back that Constance had never noticed before, and fell onto his bed.

"Not entirely," Edward replied as he sat up on his elbows. "So I hear you are wanting to learn how to fight now. What happened to just pirate stories and learning only what they do?"

"I-" Constance didn't know how to reply. In reality, she only wanted to hear the pirate's stories rather than rumors, but her mind called for the chance to be like one. "Rory mentioned that pirates know how to fight, hunt, swim, and climb in the worst of times. I was curious if I could ever be able to do the same…so he offered."

"To teach you?" The native woman nodded. Edward fell back against the mattress and placed his hands behind his head. He gazed at the ceiling, his mind deep in thought. "If we continue to have this wind, my men will have to work less allowing free time on board. Some of the younger lads train in the afternoons with Miguel. I will speak with him about placing you in his lessons."

Constance gawked at the blonde's statement. "You will allow me to learn to fight?"

Edward glanced at the woman who was still in a state of disbelief. "Is that a yes or a no?" Constance was hesitant, but she nodded in reply. The blonde smirked before glancing back at the ceiling. "Then I advice you get some sleep, love. Training starts at noon."


	8. Approaching Storm

**I want to start off by saying that I am really appreciative of the reviews everyone has given this story. It does help me get motivated to continue writing and I would like to thank Ferreneh for giving me a thorough critic that I desperately needed. I will continue to update as fast as I can, but I'm starting to pay more attention to how I am writing than getting lazy with it(Honestly I want to blame my boyfriend for that). **

**Also, I've had a few questions about why most of the pirates have a lot of typos in their speeches. Well, I love to read, it's the reason why I write. In one of my favorite books, The Loch, Steve Alten actually writes how the Scottish citizens speak in the book to give the reader a more personal feel in the life of Scotland. **

**Anyway, I know you are not here to listen to me babel on, so enjoy the chapter.**

Chapter 8: Approaching Storm

_Eight days later_

Steel met steel in a battle of strength as eyes interlocked. The red-headed male pushed forward, but the brunette female retaliated, equaling their power. Grunting, the male slid his blade downward forcing the woman's blade to follow, leaving her torso vulnerable. His left elbow pushed on her chest making her lose her balance before the male swept his leg under hers. The woman's sword clattered as it hit the wooden deck while its owner fell onto her back with the tip of the male's blade grazing her neck.

"Very good," a short, blonde haired man stated as he clapped twice.

The red-headed boy sheathed his sword and lent a hand for the woman to grab. Graciously taking it, the boy helped her to her feet before giving a respectful bow.

"Richard, your over all performance is improving, but you are still watching your feet. Your opponent is in front of you, not on the ground." The boy, Richard, nodded as the man spoke. "Constance, your movement is increasing, but you still lack confidence."

The native woman turned her attention to her teacher as she picked up her blade from the deck. Miguel was barely her height with tasseled blonde hair that pointed out in all directions. He was lean, but fit which made him the best fast-paced sword fighter on board. A black patch covered his left eye hiding a socket that was left after a Royal Navy officer took his eye in payment for stealing food.

"You mustn't be afraid to fight back. Loosen your arms and keep your hand firm. Not the other way around."

Constance nodded in understanding as she retested the blade's balance in her hand. The sword was a gift given to her by a boy she had met on board who had stopped to flirt with her on more than one occasion. She was barely two years his senior, but his mind and body had matured finely. The native glanced over at said boy as he polished the deck; his shirt was open to show a hardened, tan body. The woman was grateful that her already red cheeks from the sun's heat hid the forming blush.

"I think that is enough lessons for the day. I want all you to keep practicing," Miguel announced before quickly walking away which left no room for anymore statements or questions.

The boys who were with Constance also disappeared amongst the other crew members on deck, leaving the native woman alone on the forecastle. The woman sighed as she leaned the sword against the ship's railing before gazing out into the vast ocean horizon. Light gray clouds hovered close to the earth while the usually calm waters were slightly choppy, but not too troublesome to navigate through.

"You look lonely," a rough voice stated making the woman jump in surprise. She turned to see the man whom she was just admiring a few minutes ago approaching her.

Constance's cheeks burned red as he gave her his trademark smile. The man was two heads taller than the woman and muscular for his age. His jet black hair was cut short, and stubble grew on his jaw line. To top off his poster boy image, his eyes were an icy blue that pulled you into his grasp. It bothered Constance on why he chose the pirate's life instead of becoming a rich woman's trophy husband.

"So how's the pirate life working out for ya?" the man asked as he joined the native to gaze at the sea.

"Some things are better, but I'm still not used to a lot more. I fear I will not be able to experience everything a pirate does since we make port in Boston in a few weeks," Constance replied.

"Aye. It is hard to get used to, but the freedom is worth it."

"Why did you become a pirate, Liam?"

Liam. Even his name sounded nice.

The man's icy blue eyes stared into the native's green ones as his smile grew. "My father was a fisherman. When I was old enough, I started working with him to double the profit, but one night a nasty storm hits and destroys my father's boat." The smile faded as Liam glanced back out to the choppy waters; Constance's eyes never stopped watching him. "He didn't make it, but I was stranded at sea. I can't remember how long I spent floating on a piece of wood, but Mr. Kenway pulled me from the water and gave me the chance to join his crew. Been here ever since."

Liam turned his attention back to the native woman who was still gazing at him. Her cheeks flushed after she realized how long they had been staring at one another. Constance turned her attention away from him and up at the accumulating clouds. "Have you ever thought about going home?"

"Aye I have, but after tasting the free life of a pirate, the sea is now my home."

Constance nodded, understanding how he felt. She too wanted to call this ship her home, but it was no place for her. Slave or not, her home was on land, not out in the water.

The native took a gander at the crew who had gathered around on the quarterdeck to wager in their bets for the daily brawl fights. Rory was in the middle of them all, laughing as he collected their earnings to protect. Even though he was a terrible gambler, his size alone pushed away any who tried to steal the reward.

"Why don't you ever try to gamble with the crew?" Liam questioned, his icy blue eyes concentrated on the native's face. "Practice does make perfect."

Constance bit her lip as she eyed an average-sized man whose bald head gleamed in the afternoon sun. His red beard was cut short and his arms were covered in black tattoos. He was muscular, but not too big, just the right size to intimidate, but not draw attention. The native glanced at his left hand where his pinkie and ring finger used to be; a reminder of what happened to those who ever disobeyed the Captain's orders.

Liam matched his gaze with Constance's to observe the brute. "Is he giving you trouble?"

The native shook her head, her attention returning back to the man next to her. "He doesn't _physically _attack me, but-I don't know-he just….silently attacks me?"

Liam glanced over at the Captain who was passing orders onto his quartermaster; a dark-skinned African man who had also been a former slave. "Why not ask Mr. Kenway to have him stop?"

Constance sighed as she pushed herself up onto the ship's railing to sit on. "Luther isn't doing anything wrong, he is just-"

"Scaring you?"

The native gazed back at the bald brawler as the fight began. Everyone cheered as the red-bearded man took a few hits to the stomach, but immediately retaliated by kicking his opponent in the back of the knees before upper-cutting the defenseless man in the jaw. The match had ended in less than a minute.

Luther's steel gray eyes found the native's green ones making her tense. He gave her a wicked smile before collecting his earnings from Rory. This wasn't going to be his only fight; the bald man loved to stay out in the open where the native could see him. The gesture showed he was in charge which upset Constance, but she knew she couldn't do anything. It was best that she let him do his own thing while she avoided his existence.

"Do you know why he targets you?" Liam questioned, breaking the small woman's thoughts.

Constance nodded, unable to look away as Luther entered into a brawl with a man twice his size. "He was the one who left me to die that day when Black-beard saved us from the British."

"The day you saved the Captain?"

Constance nodded. "Edward told him to rescue me while he freed himself, but Luther dropped the lock pick and left both the Captain and I to drown. When Edward found out, he was going to take his life, but since that man has served loyally for the past few years, the Captain was merciful."

The crew cheered once again as Luther kicked his opponent unconscious. The native flinched as though she could feel the brute's pain.

Liam gave the woman a sincere smile. "If you want me to, I could try to find time to stick around, so Luther wont cause trouble."

Constance's attention returned to the boy, her lips forming into a smile. "I would like that."

The two stared at one another as the butterflies kicked into the woman's stomach. A tint of red formed on her cheeks, but she couldn't look away. His eyes mesmerized her, locking her into place.

"Liam, the Orlop needs swabbing!" The ship's boatswain hollered from the poop deck. The blue-eyed boy's smile faded as he turned his gaze away from Constance, breaking the spell.

"Time to get back to work. Nice spending time with you, and good luck," were the only words he gave the woman before disappearing, leaving her with no company. Constance sighed as she glanced at the open passage to the upper gun deck. Maybe she could join in his chores, so they could spend more time together.

"Is someone fancying one of my crew members?"

The native jumped at the rough voice's sudden statement. Edward always found pleasure in the woman's skittish behavior. Constance turned to face the blonde who was approaching the woman. His demanding demeanor, the only attitude she had seen from the man in the past few days, had vanished and a playful smirk replaced his usually expressionless face.

"Courting is impossible for a pirate," the native woman quoted causing Edward's smirk to grow. He had said those words just a few days prior when asked about a pirate's love affairs.

The Captain almost laughed aloud as he remembered the woman's face as she questioned why pirates chose to whore. She was so curious about every detail, and he almost had her curious enough to show her, but she had fled his cabin when he proposed the idea. He had been so close, but he knew she wasn't about to jump into his bed any time soon, if at all.

"Aye, but that doesn't answer my question, does it?" the blonde moved beside the brunette; his body was so close to hers that it intimidated her. "Why Liam?"

"He's…nice," Constance replied as she hid her tinted red cheeks from Edward.

"He's a pirate, love. Any man could win a woman over into his bed if he is charismatic enough."

The native's cheeks darkened in hue. "And you haven't tried the same?"

"At least my advances are not hidden behind flattery," Edward retorted as he winked at the woman. He began to head back toward the poop deck with Constance shortly following in tow. Her usually calm attitude had flared into anger.

"Are you trying to make me lose trust in one of the few men whom I call a friend? Why can I not have one person who is being sincere?"

Edward took the wheel from his quartermaster, making the dark-skinned male move to his other duties. The blonde examined the woman thoroughly; his playful smirk had disappeared, leaving his face expressionless.

"You said you want to know about pirates, well here is some advice: don't trust any man whose thoughts are only sincere. Those men are worse than snakes," Edward's calm voice had changed into something sinister which scared the small native.

It was the first time she had seen him like this, and it truly terrified her. Backing away, she quickly retreated down the stairs onto the quarterdeck and quickly passed by the brawler crowd until she came upon the forecastle. The foremast's empty nest awaited Constance's arrival as she climbed like an animal to the top.

Edward's outburst wasn't the only thing that had scared her, it was his change in attitude. It didn't fit his behavior. Why was he suddenly worrying about her interactions on the ship? He was the one urging her to be more social if she ever wanted to learn more about pirates.

A burst of thunder shook the woman from her thoughts as her attention turned aft of the ship. Dark gray clouds flashed with light as the storm drew near. Constance took in a deep breath of air to calm herself as the choppy waters slowly turned into mountains.

"Half-sails!"

What started off as an easy, carefree day was completely turned around in a matter of seconds. Crew members flocked to their posts as stationed riggers furled in the sails. Constance moved down the foremast until she was standing on top of the foresail yard. One boy, barely reaching his eighteenth year, struggled to tie the ropes wanting to carry away in the strengthening wind. The native woman helped to force down the escaping fixture just as the rain began to fall in sheets.

Constance glanced at the boy who gave her a grateful smile. The woman returned the grin, but it immediately fell when the mast began to creak loudly.

"We need to pull up the fore topsail!" the boy called out over the wind's howl.

"Edward said half-sails!" Constance tried to reply, hoping the boy could hear her.

"The Captain knows the mast will break if we don't!"

The boy rushed across the wooden beam back toward the foremast's large trunk. The native woman followed slowly, but was too afraid to go any faster in fear of slipping and falling. The boy had already began to climb the foremast at a tremendous rate, something Constance envied.

His dark form in the white out rain was merely inches from the fore topsail's yard when his fingers slipped from the wooden mast. The woman watched in horror as his back hit the beam right in front of her before falling the rest of the way to the deck.

"Oh my-" Constance covered her mouth with her hand as tears flowed from her eyes. She couldn't see his body due to the rain, and was slightly grateful that she couldn't. The woman saw the look on his face as he fell from the yard. He was scared, and the image painted itself inside her skull.

_Get yourself together and get the sails furled in, _her mind protested, but her body would not budge. Constance trembled as she tried to move forward, but every step caused her to move down and hug the yard as though it was her lifeline.

_I can't do it, _she protested as she sat there holding onto the wooden beam. The mast continued to creak as the wind picked up; the noise grew louder with each passing second.

_You have to do it, if you don't, more people will die._

Summoning back a bit of courage, Constance took in a deep breath before crouch walking toward the mast. She was relieved when her hands grasped the handles that were used to climb between yards. Unlike the boy, the native took her time to scale the wooden structure, making sure her feet and hands were secure before moving on. As she approached the fore topsail's yard, the wind increased suddenly knocking a rogue piece of wood against her skull.

Crying out in pain, Constance gripped onto the mast tightly as she placed a hand to her forehead. The woman hissed as she quickly withdrew the appendage, noticing blood on her palm. The sight terrified her, but she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She couldn't chicken out now.

Placing her hand on the fore topsail yard, the woman pulled herself up until her whole body was on the wooden support beam. The Halyard was the main pulley system which took several men to operate in order to furl sails. This device was located on the railings on both sides of the ship, and when the captain ordered, deck riggers pulled up the sails while yard riggers secured the lines. Both were a dangerous job, and required training to do, but the woman didn't have time for that.

As Constance hugged the mast to support herself, the top foresail began to retreat causing the woman to smile sadly. They boy had been smart, and his life ended early so that he could save his crew.

The rain began to feel like needles as Constance slowly made her way across the yard to the ropes flapping in the wind. The men down below had secured the top foresails arrival, now it was the woman's duty to make sure it stayed that way. Straddling the beam like a saddle on a horse, Constance worked at the knots. Her knowledge of knot-making was little, but there was only one she always could remember: the bowline.

It was a simple knot, but very efficient; however, the woman feared if it would hold against the gale winds. Shaking her head, she cleared the dread filling her bones. There was no time to think like that.

After several minutes of struggling against the blinding rain, the line secured under her pull making Constance smile. One down, three to go. The woman inched herself across the yard, taking her time for her safety, but hurried herself just in case the lines down below were to become unstable.

The last of the four knots was successfully secured making the woman sigh in relief. Constance tried to search for the other riggers doing the same to their knots on the other masts, but the rain prevented her from seeing anything. Taking a few more breaths, the woman carefully crawled back to the mast. Her fingers were numb from the cold of the downpour while her hair stuck to her face, slightly covering her vision.

Constance stopped at the mast to pull her soaking bangs from her eyes when a rogue wind swept the woman from the yard and gravity took her into its embrace. The native seemed to forget how to scream as fear rushed through her like ice. Seconds past as Constance fell, her side hit the topsail beam, and she tried desperately to grasp the wood, but the wet surface slipped off her fingers and she continued to fall.

The rough texture of rope hit her body as she descended. Something slid around her ankle, and tightened sharply racking pain throughout Constance's leg. She cried out as the burn increased and felt as though something was eating her foot.

The last thing the native was able to make out as she flew through the air was the foremast as her head made contact with it.


	9. Recovery

**Hello readers! Well, after getting a bit of writer's block, a sudden idea kinda burst through my brain and I think I have what is going to happen in the next few chapters planned out.**

**Anyway, some might complain that this chapter is slightly shorter than the last one, and I originally had it longer, but when my idea started coming to life, I cut the chapter in half and am now saving it for chapter ten. **

**Enjoy**

Chapter 9: Recovery

_Constance wiped the bangs from her eyes as the rain fell harder from the sky. All sails flew freely in the wind, while the masts creaked and groaned loudly under the pressure. The small woman rushed past the hectic crew and up the stairs onto the poop deck. Edward struggled to keep hold of the wheel as nature threatened to take away all control. _

"_We need to furl the sails!" Constance called out. The Captain glanced at the woman before turning his attention toward the masts._

"_If we want to get out of this storm, we will need to keep the sails open as long as we need to," the blonde replied._

"_But Edward-"_

_The Captain gave the woman a glare that silenced her right away. She merely nodded and disappeared down the stairs and onto the quarterdeck. _

_The crew looked panicked and afraid for their lives; something Constance had not seen before. These men loved the challenge the sea brought them, but this storm was something different, and they knew it. The woman followed the men as they grabbed, and pulled on the halyard rope in order to tightly secure the main mast's foresail. The mast's groaning increased making the native's hairs stand up on end. _

_The sound of cracking wood made the crew stop and listen to the noise. All of a sudden the main mast burst into thousands of pieces at its base and gravity pulled it aft of the ship. Constance watched in horror as the tree-sized pole smashed the wooden deck and headed toward the Captain. _

"_Edward!" the native woman called out for him, but the blonde didn't notice as he kept his hands on the wheel. _

_His sea-colored eyes glanced up at the main mast as it crashed onto the mizzen mast before continuing to drop the rest of the way onto the deck. _

Constance woke with a start as a sudden rush of pain filled her cranium and jolts of electricity seemed to seer her leg. The woman bit her lip in agony as tears threaten to fall from her eyes. She tried to swallow back the lump in her throat, but her mouth was bone dry.

Glancing around, Constance noticed she was in her own cabin. A lantern was lit and hung by the staircase leading to the outside. A dry, white shirt that was too big for her small form was the only thing she wore making her wonder who had undressed her. The clothes she wore the night the storm hit were hung from a line she made herself; each article of clothing was free of water which struck the curiosity of how long she had been unconscious.

Ignoring the searing pain, Constance pulled herself to the edge of the bed and placed her feet on the floor. Agony struck her leg like wildfire causing her to cry out. There was no way she could properly dress herself let alone walk out of the cabin.

The ship rocked violently making most of Constance's possessions knock against the wooden walls. A sloshing sound caught the woman's attention making her seek out the familiar noise. The water bucket was located across the room behind her clothes line; the place where she always kept it. She immediately regretted not moving it closer to the bed like she had planned on doing.

Pulling herself to one leg, Constance used the wall to steady herself as she hopped one step at a time, taking a break each hop to draw in a deep breath of air to stop herself from crying out. The vessel rocked violently once more causing the woman to fall to the floor; the pain in her leg became excruciating . Constance no longer cared if her whimpers were heard or not; this pain was too unbearable.

The door to her cabin burst open before being slammed shut. The woman had no time to look at the person who just entered; their movements were quick to be beside her and pick her up from off the floor. The man's hands were calloused and rough, but his body was warm and welcoming. Constance wanted more than anything to go back to sleep, but she had to force herself awake.

The man gently put her back on the bed and placed a blanket over her form. He moved away to retrieve a ladle of water and handed it to the woman. She graciously took it before chugging all of it in one swig.

"How are you feeling?" Edward asked as he watched Constance carefully. Sweat poured from her body as it trembled in pain.

"How long have I been out?" she questioned in a scratchy voice; her throat still felt like sand.

"That doesn't answer my question, but if you must know, it's been four days."

"Four days!?" Constance pushed herself up into a sitting position, hissing in pain every time she moved.

"Aye," Edward replied as he moved away from the bed to fetch more water. "When my crew found you, we thought you were dead. The rigger boy's body was found on the decks not too far away, and when we saw you, we thought you shared the same fate, but turns out someone must like you if you are here and still alive." He returned to the woman's side with a refilled ladle; its contents were drained in a matter of seconds.

"I don't believe in God, Captain," Constance replied as she handed the silver spoon back to the blonde.

"Nor do I, _Constance. _When you fell, you most likely unraveled the ropes securing the foresail. That rope then caught your ankle, saving your life." Edward placed the ladle back in its rightful spot and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. He lifted his hands to the woman's head, but she flinched away thinking he was going to make the headache worse. The blonde smirked in response. "Relax. I need to clean your wounds unless you want them to fester."

Edward slowly unraveled the cloth covering Constance's forehead revealing a deep, long gash that stretched from her eyebrow to her hairline on the right side of her face. The wound had healed remarkably in the past few days, but the gash still had a ways to go until it was nothing more than a scar. A knot adorned the left side of her skull where she had hit the mast during her fall. It was only half its original size, but the bruise looked more sickening.

"What were my injuries?" Constance asked trying to make small talk. She hissed as the blonde felt at the knot before picking up a small chest from beside the bed. Inside were flasks of clear liquid, clean wraps, and other medical materials Constance had never seen before.

Edward dabbed his fingers with the clear liquid and held the brunette's chin as he ran his digits across the gash. The woman bit her lip in pain; it felt like the blonde was setting fire to her head.

"The rope broke your leg when it stopped your fall and you suffered a massive concussion when you hit the mast. Our surgeon didn't know how to react when he saw the injuries. He has been calling your accident a miracle."

Constance watched Edward as he concentrated on her wounds; his sea-colored eyes glowed in the dim room. The brunette realized that she never really examined the blonde the entire time she had known him. She always looked away from him that she never really committed his features to memory.

The Captain's face adorned many scars that the woman never noticed before. There was one through his eyebrow and one on the corner of his eye. Another curved across the bridge of his nose while his last one stretched from his right ear and through his cheek.

His bright eyes hid behind dark eyebrows, and unlike his sandy blonde hair, his stubble was a light brown. His nose, even though traces of it being broken still marred the features, matched perfectly with his wide jaw line. Dark bags sunk under his eyes showing no signs of sleep making the young captain appear older. How long had it been since he had slept?

Edward finished wrapping the bandages around the woman's head and leaned away to inspect his work. That's when he noticed Constance's gaze. His sea-colored eyes bore into the woman's green one making her break the contact. A blush tinted her flushed cheeks causing the Captain to smirk.

"Like what you were looking at, love?" Edward's playful attitude had returned. It was something she never knew she would miss after seeing his cold demeanor.

"Liam is much more appealing," Constance replied jokingly. The blonde looked hurt for a second, but the smirk returned.

"Maybe I should give that pretty little face of his a make-over."

"Is the infamous Captain of the Jackdaw jealous of a young boy's looks? Wait until the crew finds out."

It was the first time Constance had seen the blonde genuinely smile. She returned one of her own while her cheeks burned a darker hue. This was the side of the Captain she wished she could see all the time, but the moment was short lived as he stood from the bed.

"There are still many things that need to be done around the ship. I'll be back later with dinner if I'm not busy. The surgeon will do regular visits to check on your injuries throughout the day, so be expecting him to come in at anytime," Edward informed as he was about to open the door.

"What if I want to go outside?" the woman asked.

"Unless you want to go out there in just that shirt, you may want to stay down here for the time being."

The brunette glanced down at the large shirt that threatened to fall from her shoulders. She blushed as she remembered that someone had to have undressed her to take care of her injuries.

"Who undressed me?" Constance questioned with a stutter. The idea of an unknown man touching her sent chills down her spine.

Edward smirked at the memory. "I did. If I wouldn't have, you would have fallen ill. You don't have to worry though, I'm not so much a pig to do something to an un-willing woman, let alone an unconscious one."

The native sighed a little in relief. She knew that she would trust the blonde more than anyone else on the ship, including Liam.

"Get some rest. I'll be back soon enough," Edward said as he departed into the afternoon sun, leaving the woman alone to her thoughts.


	10. Traitor in the Midst

**I can not even begin to describe how hard it was to finish this chapter. I got writer's block on how to proceed with things every five seconds which resulted in like twenty different endings. **

**Also, before I say my enjoy so you can proceed to reading, I want to make several comments concerning a review I received. Since this reader was marked as Guest, I am having to say it here rather than pm reply to said person.**

**The reader commented asking if there is a schedule to look forward to and when will there be romance. **

**Let me start off by asking: what do you mean by schedule? Are you asking if I plan to keep updating the chapters every day or two, or are you asking if I have a plan for every detail of the story? If one or both of these questions is what you meant, then yes, I plan to continue to update the chapters as fast as possible, but no, I don't have a plan for every detail, cause that those get changed too much.**

**As for when will there be romance….ok, this desperately needs to be said. The one thing that irks me the most in any book or movie is that the love is corny and too quick to be brought upon. I'll admit to writing some corny scenes in my stories, but I try my hardest to avoid them as much as possible. I terribly hate the whole two day falling love stories, the world doesn't need anymore Romeo and Juliets. **

**Anyway, Enjoy. **

Chapter 10: Traitor in the Midst

_The next morning_

The light sound of a wood knocking against wood woke Constance as she sat up to look at the door. Her eyes were still slightly blurred from drowsiness making her unable to make out who had just entered her cabin. She watched as the figure set down a tray of food on her bedside table before lighting her only lantern.

"Liam, what are you doing here?" the native asked in a groggy voice. The boy smiled at her as he helped her sit up in her bed.

"Captain ordered the cook to bring you your food, but he said some words which I will not repeat in front of a lady, so I took it upon my duty to bring it to you," the blue-eyed boy replied handing the woman her breakfast.

"Is that another way of saying that you needed an excuse to come see me?"

"Maybe."

Liam smiled as Constance began to eat. She didn't realize how hungry she had been, but what could she expect after being unconscious for so long. Had she eaten dinner last night, or was she was asleep when the Captain promised to be back?

"Anything happen in the past few days that I missed?" the woman asked with a mouth full of food.

Liam chuckled at her childish behavior. "We had to venture back to Freeport to re-supply. When the storm hit, the hold received a few leaks, but it wasn't too much of a problem to fix. Our major concern was gun powder and food. Some of nettings came loose and we lost the barrels to the sea, but we are back on course, and should be able to make port in Boston by the end of the month if the wind is fair…and if we can avoid the British."

Constance smiled sadly. "Then I leave the men who have been good to me."

Liam returned the smile, his eyes saying his true emotion. He didn't want her to leave as well. "What do you plan on doing once we make it to Boston?"

Now that her dreams were becoming reality…what was she going to do?

"I-I'm not quite sure yet. I'm still getting used to being a free person that I don't know what it is I can do once I'm in the city."

"You're certain you don't want to stay here with us?"

Constance looked up to stare into Liam's blue eyes. He looked hurt and the woman knew he was using the guilt trip method. The problem was that she knew he was doing it on purpose, but she couldn't help but fall for it.

"This isn't my home-"

"Of course it is your home. Besides Luther and his idiotic buddies, you are respected by every man on this ship. Including the Captain."

Constance broke the eye contact and shook her head. "I don't mean it like that-I just-"

"You don't think you would make it as a pirate?"

The woman nodded looking back up at the blue-eyed boy. "The rigger boy…he looked at me as he fell from the mast that night…and all I could do was watch…his eyes were begging me to save him and I couldn't…" Tears pricked at her eyes, but she forced them back down.

Liam picked up the half-eaten food tray, placed it on the bedside table before taking Constance into his embrace. The woman was hesitant to return the hug, but his arms were comforting. She took a deep breath of his sawdust and ocean scent before closing her eyes.

"What if there was another way?" Liam questioned softly.

"What are you talking about?" Constance asked as she moved away from him to look into his eyes.

"What if there was another way I could convince you? I'll be inheriting a house soon in Scotland, and once I'm no longer in the service of the pirates, I'll be going there to live out the rest of my life. You can join me."

The native was speechless. He was asking her to live with him in a home where they could be together. But why?

"What happened to the freedom of a pirate and loving the ocean? I thought you loved it here."

"The freedom is amazing, but you've seen what happens to pirates. Their lives are short and I want to live mine as long as I can. I'm on my twentieth year and I still have yet to find a bride and have a child. I'm only here for a little while longer, and then once my duty is done, I'm free…and I want you to come with me."

"I-I can't…If I go back there and people see my brand-"

"It's Scotland. The people don't care about slaves and Kings, let alone the King's slave. They hate the Crown which makes you a free woman."

"And what would I say to Edward?"

"You-"

The ship all of sudden rocked violently knocking the two from the bed. The woman hissed in pain trying to fight back tears as Liam helped her back onto the mattress.

"What's going on up there?" Constance asked as the boy pulled a blanket over her form. Cannon fire echoed off the walls of the cabin before cracking wood was heard.

"I need to get up on deck. Stay down here and don't leave your bed for anything!"

Constance was terrified as she heard more shots fired and screams of agony above deck. Cannon fire from the Jackdaw caused the woman to jump in shock sending pain through her leg. If she didn't calm down, she knew her pain would worsen.

_Just breath. Edward never loses a battle, at least, not for long…_

A cannonball shot through the wall to her right and exited out the left scaring the poor girl into hyperventilating.

_Stay down here and don't leave your bed for anything! _

Another shot was fired and this time it nicked the wood above her sending dust and small pieces of wood onto the trembling woman.

_Sorry, Liam, but I can't just sit here._

Pulling her feet over the ledge of the bed, Constance pushed herself to one foot and proceed to hop to her destroyed clothes line. When the ship began to jerk violently, the woman grabbed hold of the nearest stable object to make sure she didn't fall; a lesson she learned to do the hard way. Every article of clothing was thrown on the floor and covered in debris. Constance located her black trousers, picked them up, and shook the dust from them. Now came the hard part.

Sitting on the second to last step of the stairs, the native woman slowly placed her broken foot in the trousers first, followed shortly by her good one. She tugged the bottoms to her thighs and hopped slightly to pull them the rest of the way up her hips. The gesture sent a jolt of electricity up her leg, but she bit her lip in protest.

Turning to look at the stairs, Constance sighed as she counted the steps. She could barely make it to the stairs, so how was she going to climb them?

Just as the native woman was about to stand up, more cannon fire from the enemy ship soared across the ocean and burst through Constance's cabin. The woman covered her face as wood flew in all directions. A few of the sharper pieces had scraped her, but the pain felt like nothing compared to her leg. Taking her arms away from her face, she glanced at the emptiness that was once her room. Ice ran through her veins as she looked down at the small piece of plywood that stood between her and the drop off.

That could have been her.

The hatch above her was roughly yanked back and the sun pierced the woman's eyes making it impossible to see the man standing above her. The figure rushed down the stairs and stared out at the ocean. His sea-colored eyes examined the last of the wood that had once been her room; his teeth grinded in anger.

"Edward, who's attacking us?" Constance asked as she eyed the blonde. His usual blue and white coat was soaked on his side with dark red blood. His fist were balled and trembled slightly.

"Are you alright?" Every word sounded like he was growling.

"Edward-"

"Are you alright?" His voice raised, but he still growled out the words. His demeanor was terrifying the woman more than the cannonballs had.

"I'm fine. No new major injuries," Constance whispered, too afraid to say anything else.

The blonde turned to examine her, noticing the scratches on her neck and face. She was right, nothing serious, but the idea infuriated him. The woman he swore to protect was almost killed due to his ignorance. He wasn't about to let the bastard who caused this to get away with it.

Crouching, Edward wrapped his left arm behind Constance's back and his right under her knees. He heaved her from the wooden staircase and exited the destroyed room. The woman clung to the blonde's blood soaked shirt as she took in the new environment.

The deck of the Jackdaw was a wreck. The crew members who were still alive were busy with the cannons or re-securing the lines to new posts as the halyards laid broken. The masts stood strong against the enemy fire, but the sails didn't look so good.

Glancing out abeam to port, Constance watched as a ship twice the size of the Jackdaw drew near. "Edward, who's ship is that?"

Each sail of the enemy ship was a sterling white with a red cross stitched to fit the entire cloth. The vessel could hold more cannons and more men, and if the woman had to guess, more supplies for combat.

"Seems we had a rat on board. We lost some supplies the night you fell, and we thought it was from the storm, but turns out someone had cut the ropes to leave a trail," Edward replied as he moved past the crew to his cabin. Kicking open the doors to his quarters, the blonde quickly moved to his bed, gently placing Constance on the plush mattress. He wasted no time moving toward the exit, ignoring the woman's calls for him to come back.

"Status report!" the blonde called, his quartermaster was by his side in a second.

"The hold isn't taking on water, but we lost most of the forecastle, and the rudder is taking heavy hits. I fear they are trying to strand us rather than sink the ship," the dark-skinned man replied in his heavy accent.

Edward grinded his teeth together as he played every option he had in his head. "They plan to hang us on their lands instead of letting us have our graves here. We won't be able to out run them, nor do we have the ability to fight them head-on."

"What should we do then, Captain?"

Sea-colored eyes met brown as the blonde smirked. "Remember our trip to Tortuga?"

The dark-skinned quartermaster smiled at the thought. "How and when?"

"Place the kegs aft and don't start pouring until I give the signal."

The man nodded and rushed down the stairs and onto the quarter deck. He shouted orders which was followed shortly by some of the men vanishing below the deck before reappearing with barrels in their arms. The crew members moved to place the kegs on the railing at the aft of the vessel while they awaited their Captain's orders.

"Open them!" Edward ordered. Each barrel was cut to allow a black tarry substance to trail after the Jackdaw as the blonde wheeled the ship for a head on collision course with the enemy vessel.

As the Jackdaw passed parallel with the vessel, the enemy ship opened fire, but the crew took cover just in time. As soon as the vessel passed, Edward grabbed the lantern the quartermaster had retrieved, and tossed it into the water. The black substance lit up like the sun, taking the enemy ship with it.

At first, the fire was slow; crawling its way onto the hull. Then it began jumping, engulfing the entire Orlop and upper gun deck. Screams of agony roared above the flames crackle making the Jackdaw crew cheer as they watched the growing bonfire. Edward smirked as he changed course to head south.

His quartermaster joined him at his side and leaned in close to not be heard. "Those ships don't sail alone."

"Aye. That was too easy…something doesn't feel right. They didn't put up much of a fight, which means it must have been a diversion," Edward replied.

"What are we to do about the rat?"

"Keep the crew busy with repairs. I'll have the navigator announce our ascension north for the next few days while we head south back to Freeport, maybe the sudden change of plans will frighten the rat out of his hole."

The quartermaster nodded while looking back at the crew. "We need every able bodied man to work on repairs. Johnson, get your boys below deck and have them bring up the lumber. The forecastle and rudder are our main objectives."

The Captain watched as his crew rushed to their duties without haste. What had happened to the easy trip?

"Take the wheel. I need to check on our guest."

The dark-skinned man grabbed the wooden fixture as the blonde descended down the stairs onto the quarter deck. As he entered his cabin, he noticed the woman was no longer in his bed, but rather at the window, watching the blaze as the Jackdaw retreated. Edward silently closed the door behind himself and joined Constance to view the destruction he had caused.

"Who were they?" the woman asked; she never took her eyes off the vessel.

"British. These waters are their territory and everyone knows it. Why do you think pirates stick to the Caribbean?"

Constance shook her head before turning her gaze to the blonde. "I've seen that symbol before. The King feared that cross. He used to get letters from them….he dreaded every visit they made…they are not just British, are they?"

Edward sat next to the woman and placed a hand over her clasped ones that laid on her lap. "All you need to know is that any man that bears that symbol is a killer. Do not trust their words, and do not let them capture you. Those men stand for control, not freedom."

"They are not just British?"

Edward shook his head. "No. Their kind are everywhere. England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Italy, France, Israel, and in very concentrated parts of Asia. As long as you are not in their control, you have a chance."

Constance let out a breath of air as tears pricked at her eyes. She was putting too many people at risk for her voyage. "We need to go back to the Caribbean."

The blonde peered into the woman's green eyes wondering what was going through her mind. "Why do we need to?"

"You are better off dropping me in a Spanish or French providence rather than blow up your ship every time we cross paths with another vessel."

Edward placed a finger under the woman's chin and lifted her head so that she would look him in the eye. "Those people are not here because of you or the Crown. You wanted more than anything to go to the colonies. I've heard you talking to Rory about it every day. It doesn't matter if we run into-"

"Yes it does!" Constance retorted as she pulled her hands away from his. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, calming herself. "Your debt is to drop me off where I want to go, and I want to stay in the Caribbean…You did say that the British had little control of the waters. I'm safer there than the colonies."

She opened her eyes to stare into Edward's sea-colored ones. His face was expressionless, but his body was calm; it was one of the few things that he did that scared the small woman.

"If you want to stay in the Caribbean, why not stay on board?"

Constance adverted her eyes. "Liam asked the same thing. Pirates live short lives, Edward, and I have yet to even began mine."

Edward glanced over at the wooden door to the outside imagining his crew running back and forth on the deck. "Those men out there didn't have lives either." His gaze returned to the woman as she watched him. "I was the same at one point. I had no job, family to feed, and no title to my name. Time passed and soon I had lost everything. None of us planned on being here, but we all chose to stay."

Constance opened her mouth, but immediately closed it. Her thoughts were jumbled making it hard to decide. "What would I even do if I stayed? I'm not cut out to be a pirate."

Edward smirked. "Tell me what have you done since you've been on board?"

"I-um…I've learned to fight with a sword….Rory taught me how to make a knot….and spent time on the yard."

"What else have you done?"

Constance tried to recall the past two weeks, but nothing big came to mind. "I-uh-I…helped Mason with the maps?"

"You helped Mason with the maps. You don't even know how to read, but yet you put us back on course after we made a detour past the Bimini Islands. I've seen you watch the stars with Liam and how you can point to each one and give a history. That's a gift."

"The King's sailors used to speak of them all the time. After a while, I could recite each word."

"But you managed to put words into action. That is still a gift."

Constance sighed as she was getting agitated. "Why are you trying so hard to have me stay?"

Edward looked the woman in the eye, but found it hard to keep contact. "You-you've become one of the crew. You said so yourself that Liam asked you to stay, and I think the rest of the men would agree."

"Liam is in love with me that's why he wants me to stay."

"The crew looks to you as another patron of the ship, and they want you here."

"But why do _you_ want me here?"

Edward glanced out at the ocean through the dirty windows. Constance kept her gaze on the blonde as she concentrated on his facial expressions. "You deserve so much better in your life. Maybe I can repay my debt by giving you the opportunity to live it like it should be."

She didn't understand what possessed her to do it, but the native leaned over and gently kissed the Captain's cheek; his stubble tickled her lips as she did so. She had seen the gesture many times amongst nobles to show a sign of sincerity, and she felt like she owed this man everything.

The blonde turned his head to stare at the woman and their lips barely brushed in the instant. Constance's cheeks blazed red as she stared into his sea-colored eyes; there faces only a few centimeters apart. Edward didn't move or say anything, but just gazed back at the woman.

The sound of a throat being cleared made the two separate from one another in a haste. The native turned her face toward the window as her cheeks darkened while the blonde glanced over at the boy standing at the door of the cabin.

"Johnson said to report that we have less timber than we need to repair the forecastle, but we can have the rudder fixed."

The sound of Liam's voice made the woman tense. How long had he been standing there?

Constance heard a light, animalistic growl come from the Captain as he glared at the boy. "Tell him to work on the rudder, and once we make port, we will fix the forecastle."

Liam nodded, gazed over at the woman who refused to look at him, and left without another word.

The native woman turned to look at the blonde, but every time she glanced into his eyes, she quickly adverted her own. "Where will I sleep until then?"

Edward watched the woman in amusement. "I will lend you my bed for the time being. We will make it to port by nightfall, but it will take a few days to repair the damage."

Constance nodded. "Thank you."

"So…about our previous conversation…will you be staying?"

The native glanced up at the blonde, a genuine smile adorned his lips. She loved seeing that smile. "Y-yes. I will."


	11. Freeport

**I am really sorry this took forever to update(I do blame my boyfriend for it).**

**I also had a lot of different ideas pouring into future outcomes of the story, changing this chapter drastically to lead into the next part. Originally, I had this chapter longer, but after my grandest idea popped up, I have to cut part of it off and save it for later. **

**I'm hoping to make up the time delay with more chapters. Enjoy. **

Chapter 11: Freeport

_The next morning_

Constance woke to the morning sun gleaming into her eyes through the dirty windows of the cabin. She had almost forgotten yesterday's problems as she struggled to sit up in Edward's bed. She was used to sleeping in the dark in a less than comfy mattress, but she wasn't complaining. The native yawned as she stretched out the aches in her back and legs. She really hated being bed ridden.

As Constance rested her hands back on the bed, her arm hit flesh making her squeal in surprise. Next to her was Edward with nothing more than his trousers and a necklace holding shark teeth. The woman glanced down at her own body thankful to see that she was still fully clothed, but now the question formed in her mind: Why was he half-naked and in the bed to begin with?

The native examined the blonde as he laid on his back, his chest rising and falling softly. One hand was missing behind his head while his other rested on his stomach. One of his legs was bent at the knee and pulled up while his other stretched out to the end of the bed. His posture seemed so at ease, something that didn't seem normal for him. Although Constance had seen his childish side, she had never seen him so relaxed; he always kept up his guard.

Slipping her feet off the edge of the bed, the woman attempted to silently hop across the room, but she found herself producing loud strides every other jump. With every step, Constance couldn't help, but look back to see if Edward had woken up, but each time he was still in the same position sleeping away like there wasn't a care in the world.

She finally made it to one of the large chairs in the middle of the room and sat down on the plush cushion. Her leg throbbed in agony, but she ignored it as she tried to make herself comfy.

As soon as Constance felt herself falling back into sleep's embrace, a soft knock was heard coming from the cabin doors. The woman groaned as the person entered and silently made their way over to the native.

"Liam, what are you doing? The Captain is sleeping!" Constance whispered as she glanced over to the blonde.

The blue-eyed boy moved as graceful as a cat to the chair and kneeled in front of the native. "Heard you were awake, so it's time for you to get a tour of the town."

Constance gave the boy a look before pointing to her broken leg. "I hate to disappoint, but the only reason why you heard me is because I am unable to walk at the moment."

"Do you think me an idiot to not have this thought through, c'mon."

Liam gently took the woman into his arms and stealthily left the room as through he had never been in there. The sun was still early to rise leaving the Jackdaw's deck empty of activity save for the dark-skinned quartermaster whom finally told Constance to call him Otto rather than sir. The quartermaster busied himself with the boatswain who was informing him of damages and supply count, which gave Liam the distraction he needed to get them off the ship and down the docks until they reached an awaiting one-seat carriage.

The city wasn't like any of the colonies set up by the Spanish, English, or French. This lone island, barely reaching away from the southern tip of Florida, was port to only pirates. Civilians and Navy never knew of its existence which was how the pirates liked it. What better way to trade than with your own kind?

To most of the men, they feared the port would soon be trashed by the Navy, while others saw it as a growing sign of pirate power. The name Freeport was used as a sign to show that these men were not going to be subjected any Crown; no matter the cost.

Like any other fisher's port in the Caribbean, the huts stood on stilts above the crystal clear water with fishing nets hanging below the wooden platforms. Captains anchored their ships down the shore where black market merchants would set up trade stalls for easier access. Gypsies and whores found refugee from discrimination here and earned good coin entertaining the men. A lawless place that had more peace than the streets of London To Constance, it might as well been her second paradise.

The blue-eyed boy set the woman down gently on the one-seat carriage parked on the edge of the docks that lead into the maze of huts. The vehicle was low to the ground with no horse or mule connected which confused the native.

"How will I get around with no animal?" Constance questioned.

Liam grabbed the two wooden poles and lifted the carriage off the ground. He pulled the vehicle forward as though it only weighed as mush as a feather. "These carriages are common in Singapore and are becoming quite popular here in the Caribbean ever since we opened trade to them. It's usually the wealthy merchants you see riding them here though."

Although the island was small, the town didn't stop at the waters, but instead branched out over the waves. Almost the size of a fort, the water section of city was mainly meant for trade and supplies while the inland section held the merriment, bars, and whorehouses. The island used to be a volcano hotspot, but as the Earth changed and plates shifted the land, the volcano became inactive and all that was left were cliffs that were used to hold a second level to the city.

There was so much to see and do that the woman wondered how did no one ever get lost in such a maze.

"This is amazing," Constance muttered as she watched merchants convince customers that their goods were the best while pirates of all ethnicities bargained and laughed with one another in harmony.

"It is, isn't it?" Liam replied as he carried the carriage past a rope bridge connecting the water huts to the inland ones.

"Why are outlaws more accepting of one another? No one even looks my way even though I am the only one of my kind here."

Liam smiled; however, the woman could not see it as she took in her surroundings. "These men figured out life's true value, and broke away from the traditions of society. They don't waste their time by judging people by the color of their skin, but instead judge them by their ability to fight and drink."

Constance smiled at the thought of cruel men plundering ships and killing innocents, but they didn't judge the people they had found to be their loyal friends. "Heartless, yet poetic."

"There are two sides to a shilling," Liam replied as he set the carriage down softly on the ground as they reached the end of the wooden deck where the sandy shores began. "Can't go much farther here, so I guess I'm going to have to carry you."

Constance let the blue-eyed boy pick her up once more before continuing down onto the beach. Blankets surrounded un-lit campfires while merchants were slow to set up business due to the early morning hour. Liam didn't even glance around at the shore's decorations as he made his way to the edge of a jungle. A cliff-side towered over the jungle's trees and the sound from a waterfall echoed off the canopy.

"Where are we going?" Constance asked as they entered the jungle.

"It's a surprise," the blue-eyed boy replied as he stepped into the thick canopy.

Ferns, elephant ears, and other flower blooming plants poked and prodded the two as they furthered into the jungle. Bugs and birds filled the air with noise while mosquitoes bit at their skins. The sloshing of water grew louder and soon the two came across a small pond surrounded by rocks and boulders with a small waterfall flowing water down a cliff side.

The native woman had not seen anything like it before. "How did you find this place?"

Liam gently set the woman down on one of the rocks surrounding the pond before sitting down next to her. He removed his boots from his feet before sinking his feet under the glassy surface. "When I was picked up out of the water and joined Edward's crew, we stopped here for supplies. At the time, everything that just happened felt like too much to take in. I wanted to get away from it all, so I got myself lost and somehow made my way here."

"What made you go back to the ship? I don't think the crew would waste their time searching for someone they had just picked up," Constance asked as she copied Liam's example and took off her boots. The water's cool touch felt like bliss against the woman's throbbing foot.

"I guess the thought of a new life drew me back. My father was the only person I had in this world, so I chose to go and try to be a pirate. Although, I'm probably the worst pirate in history."

Constance gave him a sad smile. "Why would you say that?"

"Do you ever see me doing anything other than carrying barrels or swabbing the deck? I'm useless in their eyes."

Constance gawked at the boy before giving him a playful slap to the shoulder. "You are probably one of the few who can carry a barrel full of gun powder by yourself. Rory is also a powder monkey, and he can do every position on board the ship. Why? Cause no one else can do it better!"

Liam smiled at the woman as he pushed her shoulder playfully making her smile grow. "You and all your men. How are you able to get along with so many of the crew members so easily?"

Constance shrugged. "I don't know. Guess I spend a lot of time with them. What about you? I don't see you ever spending time with many of the men."

"I'm only here to serve my debt, don't want to get used to it and not move on."

Constance glanced at the blue-eyed boy who was busy staring at his reflection on the glassy surface. "How did you inherit land in Scotland, anyway? You said you were from the West Indies."

Liam smiled sadly, but continued to watch the water. "My father did a few contracts when I was younger. Eventually, the work paid off and he was promised a house when the former owner passed; however, since my father can not receive it, the land is now mine."

"Oh…" the native said and went silent. The two sat there without saying a word, but instead admired the surroundings.

"What about you?" Liam asked after moments of complete silence. "Did you have any family in England?"

Constance ringed her hands together as she watched her feet below the surface. "Not really. My mother passed away when I was six, and I never met my father, but I was always told he was a handsome gentleman who was the first one to treat my mother like a lady. I never got to know the other slaves since it was forbidden for us to speak unless told to do so."

Liam gazed at the small woman to study the emotions on her face. She was beginning to look teary-eyed, but they never fell. "I know it's not my place to ask, but did the King ever do anything that-well, you know-"

The blue-eyed boy quit talking as he noticed the woman tense up. Her nails dug into the rock as she closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

"I'm really sorry if I said anything that would of-"

"N-no. It's nothing."

Liam cautiously placed a hand gently on the Constance's shoulder to help comfort her. The woman trembled under this touch leaving the poor boy useless for help.

"Constance, are you alright?" the blue-eyed boy asked.

"I'm fine, don't worry," the woman replied as she opened her eyes to look at the boy. Liam was amazed that they were not red or teary looking.

"I'm really sorry if I asked anything I shouldn't have-"

"Liam, I am fine," the woman consulted as she placed her hand on top of his. "It's just one of those things that is hard to speak of."

The blue-eyed boy took his hand from the woman's grasp and wrapped it around her shoulder letting her head lean against his collarbone. The gesture was comforting making Constance relax under his arm.

"It was the Dukes," the native stated after the long silence that followed.

"Hm?" Liam questioned as he looked down at the girl.

"The King loved his parties. He would invited Dukes and Ladies from all around to come. Although they were not allowed to physically harm us during the day, the guests would wait until the later hours of the night after they had become drunk to sneak out into the slave's quarters."

Liam leaned to look at the woman, but she showed no emotion.

"There were at least six of them who broke into our room. I was only nine at the time; not even old enough to have blossomed yet. All together, we had twenty-four slaves in that quarters; enough to take them down, but we knew the consequences if we did. A slave striking a white-man was the death penalty, but before they hung us in the streets, they would first torture us. Better to keep our mouths shut than fight back. The older women pushed me and the other children to the back of the room and guarded us with their bodies. They pleaded silently for the men to only take them in exchange for our safety, but they didn't listen. They did what they wanted to those woman before they attacked us next. After that day, the scared slaves threw themselves from the roof of the buildings while the rest of us were forced to carry on with our duties. It was our first time, but not our last."

Tears fell from the woman's cheeks as she choked back a sob. Liam hugged her tightly against his chest as all emotion escaped Constance. Years of building up all her anger and sadness poured out of her in that one moment as the blue-eyed boy rubbed her back trying his best to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry," the woman managed to choke out; her tears never stopping.

"Ssshh, it's ok. Just let it all out."

Minutes dragged on as Constance's tears slowly faded away leaving her eyes and cheeks a cherry red. She continued to hold onto Liam as though he would disappear if she let go. The woman felt herself becoming tired as the moments passed, making her close her eyes in response.

Liam felt the woman get slightly heavier against his body, and as he looked down to see if she was ok, he found her falling asleep on his chest. The blue-eyed boy smiled as he smoothed down her hair and brushed the remains of the tears from her face.

He wanted nothing more than to see this woman happy every moment of his life, but he knew he had other objectives to work for first. Pulling the silver pendant from under his shirt, he examined the insignia he swore an oath to before placing the necklace back in its rightful place.

Gently maneuvering the sleeping woman off of him, Liam placed Constance on the ground a bit further away from the water as he slipped his boots back onto his feet. He had a few hours left until noon which meant enough time to find his informant before the entire crew was awake and needing all hands to work on repairs.

Leaning over, Liam placed a kiss on Constance's forehead before disappearing into the underbrush of the jungle

X

A mild headache hit Edward's skull like a broken bottle. The blonde slowly sat up in his bed with one hand resting on his forehead as the increasing pain sent his vision into a whirling blur. Although he said he was never going to drink as much as he did a million times, he knew he was going to be drunk again either tonight or tomorrow and the same headache would make its appearance once again.

His other hand touched silk sheets making the blonde glance over at the empty side of the bed. The place where Constance had been soundly asleep was cool to the touch meaning she hadn't been there for a while. Edward gazed at his surroundings looking for the native woman, but she wasn't in the cabin either.

The blonde threw a white shirt over his head and pulled his boots over his feet before standing from his bed. He made his way outside onto the deck where his men were just waking as well and were making preparations for the day's repairs. The dark-skinned quartermaster stood at the edge where the forecastle used to be, examining the damage. Edward joined at his side and gazed at the splintered wood; he felt as though his child had been injured.

"We have everything needed to rebuild it, but we need the blueprints from last time if we want to repair," Otto stated. His brown eyes traveled to the Captain who was still busy reviewing the destroyed deck.

"I think I have a better design in mind. I will be back later with the blueprints. For now, keep the men busy on the rudder and replace the sails," Edward replied. Otto nodded making the blonde turn back toward his cabin.

"Captain!" Luther called just as the blonde had his hand on the door's handle. The brute-sized male rushed from the docks to Edward almost out of breath from his run.

"What is it?" Edward asked.

Luther took in a few deep breaths before finally standing straight. "I think I've found our rat, sir."

The blonde's sea-colored eyes drew into slits as he turned fully toward the man. "Who is it?"

"It's Liam, sir, and he took Constance with him."


	12. The Secret War

**Woo-hoo! Next chapter! After the last chapter, so many thoughts filled my head, and the scary part was that I started to sound like George R.R. Martin.**

**Anyway, no time for spoilers!**

**Enjoy! **

Chapter 12: The Secret War

_On board the Jackdaw_

Edward was dressed and ready to leave within minutes of receiving the news of Liam and Constance. As the blonde exited the ship and onto the docks, Rory and Luther joined him at his side making the Captain stop to look at the two.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked as he eyed them both.

"I promised Constance I would not let any harm come to her as long as she was considered part of the crew, and so far it seems I've been doing a shitty job," Rory replied.

"And you know I'm not fond of rats, Captain," Luther remarked.

The blonde gave them both a look before nodding. "If that's so: Rory, I need you to check with the locals to see if they may have left the island. Luther, search the north section of the island while I search south. I want Liam back here. Alive! If you find Constance first, bring her back here before continuing your search for the traitor."

"Aye!" both men hollered in unison before taking off. Edward sighed as he scanned the docks knowing full well that they were still here on the island, but most likely not in the city.

Closing his eyes, the blonde concentrated on separating his sense from one another; a talent he had ever since he was a young boy. It was something he knew he could never tell anyone else, but it was his own special gift.

As he took in a deep breath, the world around him grew dark allowing for his targets to stand out with a light glow. Opening his eyes, Edward's once sea-colored irises became a light golden that glowed even in the sun. Glancing around at the darkened world, he could smell, hear, and see more of the world than anyone ever imagined. Concentrating on his memory of Constance, a faint golden light streaked across the ground leading into the city and headed east into the inland section.

The blonde followed the docks as his instincts lead him inland and to the sandy shores on the eastern portion of the island. Closing his eyes, he let his mind fall back into normal letting the world's light come back to his sight. If he kept his heightened senses up too long, it messed with his normal ones, making them worse. His vision had already faltered due to using it too much when he was younger, but he was more reckless then.

The beach had gone from empty to packed within the early hours of the morning as the time neared noon. Edward moved effortlessly through the crowd to get to one of the many stalls lining the shore.

"What are we looking to trade?" the Spanish merchant asked as the blonde approached.

"Did a tall, dark-haired boy and an Indian woman come through here?" Edward got straight to the point. He didn't have time to waste.

The merchant's face lit up. "Ah, there are so many like that here. Maybe with the right coin, my memory might serve me better."

"Maybe allowing your throat to stay unopened would work better."

The merchant gulped as the blonde glared at him. "I believe I remember seeing the two of them. A handsome young man was carrying a savage across the shore and into the jungle."

Edward didn't waste anymore words on the man as he walked away. The commotion of the beach was left behind as the blonde entered the thick canopy. His eyes caught sight of aged footprints left in the dirt, and followed the trail deeper into the wilderness. As he neared the loud sloshing sound of a waterfall, Edward noticed a second pair of footprints following the original tracks.

"Constance?" the blond called out, looking in all directions. There was no answer.

Edward continued to follow the impressions until he came upon a pond where the prints seemed to stop. The place was empty except for the birds cawing overhead. The blonde kneeled over the older footprints leading away from the pond, and heading left back towards town.

_Liam, _Edward thought to himself as the stood and circled the pond before looking at the second set of tracks. They were much smaller in size and showed signs of limping. _Constance. _

The blonde followed the small footsteps as they headed deeper into the jungle. As Edward reached a tall Copperwood tree, the mysterious tracks returned once again, but kept a distance's from the girl's. Upon inspection, the Captain noticed the prints had to be a bigger man than both Liam and himself. Did the boy have an accomplice?"

He continued through the forest, studying the trail carefully. Constance's prints grew in stride as though something spooked her into running. The mysterious tracks finally intercepted the woman's and signs of struggle ensued. A patch in the dirt indicated her pursuer tackled her to the ground, but Constance managed to get away, and traveled north a few steps before being tossed into a tree. A small patch of blood marred the bark of a Tallow exactly at the height where the woman's head would be.

A brief second of dread flowed through the blonde's bones as he searched for the attacker's retreating footsteps; however, there were none. The word _Templar _flashed in Edward's head as he glanced all around at his surroundings looking for any signs that might tell him where they had gone.

The blonde growled as he punched a tree in frustration. He was going to make sure that these men paid for this with their lives.

X

Liam rushed past pirates, merchants, and whores as he made his way to the second level of the inland hut section. Noon was drawing close, and his informant would depart soon if he did not arrive. The pathways filled with people as the sun moved closer to the top of the sky making the boy panic. The streets were becoming too slow to navigate through.

An opportunity arose as people parted along a few huts that built up along the stairwell leading to the top. Gaining momentum, Liam rushed up the side of the hut and climbed his way up to the next city level.

This section of the town was built for homes and inns which made it the least nosiest and crowded part of the island. The blue-eyed boy moved quickly through the maze of homes until he reached a Spanish style inn overlooking a cliff-side. Liam rushed inside and made his way to the last room on the left; closing the door softly behind him.

"Monsieur Lefèvre?" the blue-eyed boy called out into the tiny room. The bed and tables were flipped and knocked over showing signs of struggle. Blood stained the floors and walls while the window hung open with the glass shattered.

"M'aide!"(_help me!)_ a small voice softly pleaded from under the toppled mattress. Liam threw the bed off the dark-skinned boy before kneeling next to him.

"Pierre! Ce qui s'est passé?"(_What happened?) _Liam questioned as he pulled the boy onto his lap. A dagger without a handle protruded from Pierre's stomach as he coughed up blood onto his tattered shirt.

"Le groupe… Ils nous ont trouvé…"(_The group…they found us…)_ Pierre replied in between a fit of coughs.

"Je vais aller cherche de l'aide. J'ai besoin de vous pour-"(_I will go get help. I need you to-)_

The African boy's brown eyes locked onto the ceiling before glazing over while his body went limp. Liam had to hold back his tears as he placed the dark-skinned boy on the ground. Pierre had only been in the organization for a year under Lefèvre's guidance while the blue-eyed boy became a brother to him. His eleventh birthday was next week and now he would never see manhood because of _them._

Pulling himself to his feet, Liam rushed to the window and jumped over the sill into the inn's garden. A trail of blood streaked across the pebbled pavement, through a hedge, and out onto the cliff-side. The blue-eyed boy followed the smears until he stood at the edge of the rocky landscape; a forty-foot drop stood between him and the crashing waves below.

Liam's attention turned to a darkly dressed figure at the base of the cliff as the waves threatened to take off with the body. How could the boy not recognize the stature of his former master?

Taking in a deep breath, Liam observed the blood drenched ground hoping for some clue to where the killer went. The red masses of liquid were still bright and sticky to the touch meaning whoever had done this shouldn't have gotten far; the trail was still fresh.

The sun hit the highest point in the sky indicating noon. The blue-eyed boy gave the crime scene one more look before heading back to where he had left Constance. His responsibilities had to come first and he couldn't compromise the mission now.

X

Edward growled in frustration as he ended up back where he started. Both footprints went cold leaving the blonde completely out of options. His thoughts provoked him to use his senses, but he kept pushing it down knowing he couldn't push his limit like that.

_Where could they have gone? _Edward questioned as he took a drink from the pond before wetting his hair. Did Liam see Constance as a weakness? The boy had every chance to kill him if he wanted to, but why go through all this trouble?

A soft crackle of leaves brought Edward back to reality. The blonde vanished into the forest shrubbery and watched as the dark-haired boy arrived. Liam glanced around the area with a confused look on his face as his eyes searched for the missing native.

"Constance!" the boy called before kneeling to examine her fading tracks in the dirt. Liam muttered a curse before rushing into the jungle.

Edward stayed on the boy's heel as he dashed through the greenery. Liam didn't let up until he found the end of the trail where the last of the footprints just disappeared. The blue-eyed boy cursed once more as he observed the blood on the tree.

"Constance!" he hollered louder this time as panic began to set in.

Edward snuck up from behind before knocking his elbow against the boy's skull. Liam fell to the dirt unconscious giving the blonde enough time to pull him to the base of the Copperwood tree and tie him to it using vines from nearby shrubs.

Edward pulled a small dagger from his boot while taking a whetstone from his pouch before slowly sharpening the blade as he waited for the boy to awaken.

X

Constance whimpered as she felt the cool touch of the blade's soft edge against the skin of her thigh. She heard the two men laugh at her reaction, but she couldn't see them due to the blindfold over her eyes. The woman's hands were tied to a bamboo stalk above her that was used as support for the building's roof, leaving her unable to protect herself. The men had taken her trousers from her body leaving her exposed to their torment.

The man next to her kicked her broken leg making the woman bite her lip to suppress the scream. The louder she yelled, the more they liked it.

Her mind kept begging her to plead them to stop, but she knew the outcome of doing so. Years of slavery taught her that torture was cruel and always done by the most heartless of men. No matter what you say or do, the monsters will always continue their misery until they are either ordered to stop or the victim dies.

"So, _girl, _what would you prefer me to do: give you my cock, or continue to put some more scars on that pretty little savage body of yours?"

A new stinging sensation formed across the outside of her right thigh as the man slide his blade away. Constance caught herself before she yelped, but that didn't stop the man from laughing.

"So what's it going to be, _savage?_" the man asked leaning close to the woman's face; his breath wreaked of alcohol.

Summoning her courage, she spat in his face, satisfied to hear her spit hit his cheek. "Go to _fucking _hell!"

She never heard his hand move before his fist connected to her jaw. She let out a cry as the burning sensation left her face feeling like she was hit with a rod.

"What did you say, you little _bitch?" _the man asked as he grabbed her aching jaw tightly.

"You heard me," Constance replied with a satisfying smirk.

Another fist connected to her ribs before the man kicked her once more in her broken leg. If it had not been for the bamboo, the woman would have been on the ground. Her body trembled as she tried to keep herself standing, but the pain was too much.

The sound of a door opening and quickly closing sent the man's attention away from the woman as only one pair of footsteps drew close.

"Is she broken yet?" the newcomer asked as he eyed the half-naked woman. Constance tried to locate the man through her blindfold as her trembling worsened. _Why was he here?_

"She's tougher to handle than a bronco, but everything breaks after a while," the tormenter replied; the woman could imagine the smirk on his face.

"Good. Our contractors are increasing our reward, and if we want Edward to finally bend his knees to the Templars, then we have to make sure we destroy everything he loves," Luther replied as he grabbed Constance by the jaw; the woman could feel the stubs that had once been his fingers. "I hope our dear Captain will love you just as much after we use you up."


	13. Smoking Out the Rat

Chapter 13: Smoking Out the Rat

Liam's brain pounded against his skull as he slowly woke to the sound of a blade on stone. The blue-eyed boy scanned his surroundings until his vision landed on the Captain who blew the sandy debris from his dagger. Recent events flooded back into the boy's memory causing him to fight against his restraints to break free.

"Where's Constance?" Liam asked as the blonde stood and approached him.

"I was hoping you would tell me," Edward replied as he squatted in front of the boy. His blade grazed Liam's cheek leaving a small cut in it's wake. "Now tell me, why would you bring an innocent woman all the way out here if you didn't have something planned?"

The boy panicked as he continued to fight at his bindings. "You must listen, Mr. Kenway. There is a rat on your ship, and I believe he may have Constance!"

"So I've been told," Edward stated as he stood and circled around the tree. "Why did you take her with you all they way out here in the middle of the jungle? So you can give her to your Templar masters?"

"Templar?" Liam appeared shocked by the statement. "You think I'm the rat?"

Pain shot through the boy's hand and wrist as Edward stuck the tip of the blade under Liam's middle fingernail. They boy grunted in pain trying his best not to scream.

"Where is the girl?" Edward questioned once more as he moved the dagger under his index fingernail.

"I don't know!" Liam groaned. "But I am not your rat!"

Edward retreated the blade from the boy's fingers and circled the tree back to the front. The blonde's fist connected to Liam's jaw causing him to spit blood from his torn lip. The Captain once again squatted in front of the boy while holding his jaw in a vice-like grip.

"And why should I believe you?"

"Because if you don't…they might kill Constance…." Liam muttered as he spat more blood onto the ground.

Edward studied the boy for any indication of him lying, but there was none. He appeared to be honestly telling the truth. "How do you know all of this?"

Liam looked as though he was debating whether or not to tell, but Edward's glare gave him his answer. "I was sent by the Assassins after word got out that the Templars hired a sell sword to become one of your crew and convince you to join their ranks. Apparently whatever the Templars need, they are running low on time to get, so if they can't get you to join, they will kill you."

"And who is the rat?"

"I don't know. He killed my informants, and most likely took Constance. If he has gone through all this trouble, then he knows I'm here, and that you would soon find out about him."

Edward let go of the boy's chin and stood. "But why Constance?"

"I guess they figure if that they break her, they break you."

The blonde watched the boy as his blue eyes pleaded with him. Edward only saw truth, but how could he buy it?

"Nothing is true…" the blonde started.

"…Everything is permitted," Liam finished.

Edward growled as he cut the ropes binding the boy's hands together. "Alright, _Assassin, _what do you know of this sell sword?"

Liam rubbed his wrists to get the circulation flowing through them again as he glanced at the blonde. "In the letters we intercepted, the Templars were trying to let you join them peacefully at first, but they are becoming more aggressive. If they can't get you to their side willingly, they will resort to force. If that doesn't work, then they will silence you."

Edward's confusion showed on his face as he studied the boy. "But why me? Don't they have others who would leap from a cliff if it meant being in their group?"

"I'm not sure about the details, but both the Assassins and Templars want you. I think most of it has to do with something about your lineage." The blonde scoffed as he turned away to head back to the city , but Liam caught him by the arm. "I know you are not a full-fledge Assassin, even the Brotherhood acknowledges it, but my job is to stop the Templar's plot and save the lives of innocents. This includes Constance."

Edward turned and placed the tip of his dagger against the boy's chest, right above his heart. "Once we find Constance, your mission is over. I want you off my ship and tell the Brotherhood I don't need them sticking their nose in places they shouldn't."

The boy nodded as the blade was lowered and the blonde disappeared into the jungle's foliage.

X

The native woman trembled as he legs were giving out on her. The sound of a whip crackling shot behind her as another burning sensation was added to her back. Constance no longer held back on her cries as her tormenter continued.

Both Luther and one of the other men had already had their turn with her. Each had first tortured her with whatever ideas came to mind, before they assaulted her sexually. The woman wanted to fall away and sleep forever. If death were to take her, she would gladly accept its cool embrace.

"Oi! Boss said only six whippings a piece!" the other man called out as another sting erupted on her spine.

"Always ruining the fun," the torturer muttered as he moved in front of Constance. He roughly grabbed the woman by the jaw and studied the bruises on her cheeks and throat. "So are you ready to plead for your life, or do you want death to come take ya?"

The blindfold still hid their faces, but Constance knew it was only them two in the room. Luther had left a while ago to keep up his charade as a loyal member of the Jackdaw crew. The man in front of her took her hair in his fist and yanked her head back.

"I think its time for my pleasure to begin," the tormenter stated as the woman heard his belt buckle being loosened.

_No! Not again! _

Constance struggled to hold back the tears as she tried to move away, but her bindings kept her in place. She was tired of this, and didn't want to be the victim anymore. The woman managed to escape imprisonment twice now, she was sure as hell that she could do it again.

Summoning the last of her strength, Constance kneed the man in the groin as she pulled down on the restraints. She heard the satisfying creak of the bamboo trying to break making her try the gesture once more. The support snapped in two, sending the naked woman to the ground as the roof caved in.

"Hey!" the other man yelled as the woman ripped the blindfold from her face. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the new brightness before she grabbed the cracked bamboo in between her tied hands. The red-cloaked sell sword rushed at her, but didn't noticed the stalk in her hands until it was jammed into his torso.

The man locked eyes with woman as they glazed over and blood streamed from his open mouth. Constance dropped the bamboo and backed away as his body fell to the floor. Her body trembled as she leaned against the far wall and slid down to the ground. Tears fell like waterfall as the pool of blood expanded around the man. He was her first kill.

"I'm going to murder that wench!" the other man muttered as he pushed the debris off of his body.

The woman glanced around for anything to protect herself with, but there was nothing. Standing to her feet, the native silently scurried along the building until she was hidden between the debris and wall. The red and white cloaked soldier clumsily glanced around the room as he tried to stay standing. Blood gushed from a wound on his head, but he paid no heed to it as he searched for the missing woman.

"C'mon out girl, and maybe I will have mercy on you," the man slurred as he moved toward her location.

Constance noticed his legs were too shaky while his eyes kept closing and reopening. He was losing too much blood the woman thought as she began to sneak up behind him. As the man grabbed the wall to support himself, Constance swung her tied arms around his neck and held all her pressure against his wind pipe. The man gasped on air like a fish as his weakened arms flailed to pull her off.

A few moments passed before the man finally slumped to the floor motionless. Constance didn't give up her defense as she examined his face only to notice that his eyes were wide open and glazed over.

The woman swallowed the lump in her throat before flipping the man onto his back to search for a knife. Her hands trembled as her fingertips felt along the leather weapon straps until they brushed against the wooden texture of a sheath. The dagger was no bigger than her pinkie in width and length, but it would have to do.

She was halfway through the first rope when she heard the heavy footsteps. Her attention turned to the adjacent wall where the person was circling the building. The woman waited and listened as they stopped at the corner of the hunt; the sound of a barrel lid opening ensued before the person continued toward the door. Panicking, Constance held on tightly to the knife, and fled to her hiding spot behind the debris.

The door creaked open as the person entered the room. She heard a growl of frustration as the footsteps neared the dead men. Through the collapsed roofing, Constance saw Luther kick the solider with the bamboo stalk through his chest before circling the room. The brute examined the debris before huffing and quickly retreating.

The woman gave a silent sigh of relief as his heavy footsteps disappeared. She stayed in her hiding spot as she continued to work at the ropes with the knife. Her left wrist broke free as the blade sliced the last bit of string. The rest of the rope took only seconds after that to loosen and fall from her right hand.

All she had to do now was find her way back to the ship.

Glancing at the table where her clothes were thrown, the memory of the dagger slicing at the fabric sent a chill down her spine as she tossed the rags back onto the desk. She knew she couldn't just run out of there nude, but what other choice did she have?

The two dead men prodded at her peripheral vision as if telling her that they might just be of use. Constance swallowed back her dread as she neared the man she had choked while examining his dirty clothes.

It's not like he would need them anymore.

X

Edward and Liam shoved their way through the crowded docks as they made their way toward the Jackdaw. Both slowed as they noticed Otto ordering crew members to get the supplies on the ship. The blonde whistled loudly, catching the dark-skinned man's attention who proceeded over to the two tired men.

"Liam wasn't the rat, but whoever it is has Constance and is most likely assembling an assault," Edward stated to bring the quartermaster up to date.

Otto examined the blue-eyed boy before turning his attention to the Captain. "How do we plan to draw him out?"

"Announce to the crew that we set sail tomorrow morning. If time is cut short then the traitor will panic," Liam suggested.

Both men turned to look at him.

"And what of Constance?" questioned the blonde.

"Tell everyone I'm the traitor and you believe that I have her," Liam replied glancing back and forth between the two. "Have the rat think that you have found my location and you will deal with me yourself. During this time, the traitor will try to scurry off and make himself seem like the hero."

"And how do we find out who it is? We can't keep tabs on the entire crew," Otto stated.

"Have every single one of them on repairs," Edward spoke up as he glanced over at his quartermaster. "Retrieve the blueprints from my desk and have the men working within the hour." The blonde turned to gaze at the boy on his right. "Liam, there is a man named Juarez north of here who will allow you his home if you give him my name. I will announce our departure soon, so have everything ready."

Otto and Liam nodded as they disappeared from sight. Edward took a moment to close his eyes and breath in the salty ocean air. As much as he hated sitting around for the next course of action to take place, the blonde knew he had no other choice.


	14. Free

**I am really sorry for taking so long with this chapter. It's nearing move out day, and I've been so busy with work and packing that I haven't sat down to type this chapter. I've already started on chapter fifteen, so hopefully that one will be posted by tomorrow evening at the latest. **

**Anyway, Enjoy!**

Chapter 14: Free

The once bustling crowd that cluttered the docks of Freeport thinned into just a few men and woman as the sun settled along the horizon. Orange, purple, pink, and blue washed like paint over the last bit of light the blazing star had to offer as Constance maneuvered through the last throng of people. The woman's usually braided hair was hidden in a sailor's hat that was pulled down to cover her facial features while the clothes she had _borrowed _concealed her figure making her appear more masculine.

Every step caused her to bite down harder on the inside of her lip as she forced down the pain that pulsed through her leg. Constance wanted to avoid all attention to herself, so she strolled down the docks resisting the urge to begin limping. She exhaled heavily every so often to avoid showing she was winded from the walk here. If anyone would to look at her, they would most likely assume she was a cabin boy on an errand.

The Jackdaw's hull projected itself amongst the rest of the ships occupying the harbor like a beacon in the night. Had the woman not known that it's forecastle was in need of repair, she wouldn't have recognized the vessel by its newly built figurehead.

A wooden bird suspended over the water while a small, open arc connected the forecastle into the figurehead. The design left the woman in awe as two of the crew worked diligently to finish the day's quota, and although the native loved the new layout, she questioned where her room was going to be.

Constance spotted the Captain standing next to Otto as they conversed next to the wheel. The blonde appeared tired; his shoulders were slumped and his movements were slightly sluggish. However, he seemed at ease, which caused the woman to wonder if he had noticed her disappearance.

The sight of the familiar bald-man waltzing over to Edward sent Constance into panics. She quickly retreated to a stall, pretending to be interested in the merchant's goods while her eyes examined the three men at the helm of the ship. Luther exchanged a few words with the Captain who then proceeded to nod. The brute left their company and exited the ship onto the docks.

His stride was that of confidence as he worked his way through the crowd, but as he furthered from the ship, he became ridged and his walk turned into a run. Constance figured he was on his way to go find her, but that didn't matter now. The Jackdaw was close and she could see the finish line calling to her.

Glancing around at the crowd, the woman made sure the bald brute was far enough away before blending back in with the people. The faces of her fellow crew members were becoming more detailed as she approached the vessel; her strides quickened as she noticed Edward was making his way to the forecastle to examine the progress. Her smile grew as her feet were just about to hit the loading platform, but her actions were stopped as hands grabbed her from behind and pulled her away from the ship. The woman screamed in terror, but her assailant covered his gloved hands over her mouth.

Whoever had taken her pulled her behind one of the huts and used their body to hold her against the wall. Constance kicked and screamed as the hooded man tried to calm her down, but his grip only tightened at her protests.

"Ssshh…please listen. I'm a friend," the man tried to consult, but it wasn't working. "Please-uh-Liam sent me."

Constance's hollers seized, but she continue to slightly struggle. The woman's breath was rapid as she examined her assailant's covered face. All she could see was a square chin, a straight nose, and thin lips.

"Who are you?" Constance questioned as the man removed his hand from her mouth.

"A friend. My name does not matter." The man produced a letter from his coat and offered it to the woman. "Liam will no longer be a part of the Jackdaw crew. His mission is complete and he will be returning to his duties in the Brotherhood. He asked me to personally give you this letter. He says you are a special one, and I won't have pursued you have he not persisted."

Constance was hesitant to take the letter from the man while she gave him a confused look. "What brotherhood? What are you talking about?"

The assailant glanced to his right to study the people still on the docks. "Now is not the time or place for such discussion." He pushed the letter into the woman's hands making sure she had a good grip on it. "Liam hopes one day it can all be discussed, but for now stay with Edward. The Captain will keep you safe from harm."

Constance gazed at the unopened document trying to wrap her head around the situation. "But wait, I-" As she glanced up at the man, he was already gone and lost within the sea of people. _I can't read…_

_What the hell is going on? _The woman thought. First, the ship is attacked by a random vessel, then she was kidnapped, and now she is told about a secret brotherhood. When did things become so complicated?

Looking back at the letter, she quickly pocketed it, saving it for later before peeking around the corner of the building. The Jackdaw was still awaiting her arrival as was Edward who returned to his post at the helm. The blonde leaned in close to whisper something to Otto making the dark-skinned man nod and exit onto the docks. The quartermaster had also vanished within the crowd making the woman wonder what was going on.

Taking in a deep breath, Constance revealed herself from the hut's shadow and hurried over to the vessel. She gnawed the inside of her lip as she ascended the steps to the helm; her leg screamed for her to stop moving.

As she approached the blonde with a smile on her face, the Captain whirled on his heel as the barrel of his flintlock barely brushed the woman's forehead. Her smile faded as she took a step back in shock.

"E-Edward, I-it's me!" Constance stated as she yanked the hat from her head. Her usual braid had come loose letting her red-tinted, brown hair cascade down her back.

The blonde seemed shocked, making the woman sigh in relief. Maybe he did notice that she was missing. Constance gave him a small smile, but the Captain's didn't return it as his face went expressionless before picking up the woman and carrying her into his cabin. Edward gently set her down on his bed and sat next to her as he placed his fingers under her chin to examine the bruises marring her throat and cheek.

"Are you injured anywhere else?" the Captain asked as he stood and retrieved his medical chest.

Constance was speechless at his calm demeanor. The woman studied the man who sat down in front of her to watch any reaction he might have to all of this, but he seemed so…relaxed. Did he not know about what was going on?

"Y-yes, but Luth-"

She didn't get the chance to retort as Edward's hands quickly unbuttoned her coat and pulled her shirt from her body before tossing them on the floor next to the bed. Constance, out of embarrassment, folded her hands over her naked breasts and looked away. The blonde paid no mind to her reaction as he reviewed the damage that had been done to her.

His fingers brushed against the bruise on her side where two ribs had been broken as his sea-colored eyes noticed the enflaming skin on her shoulders. Edward softly turned her body to study the multiple gashes that were filled with dried blood.

The blonde's anger rose as a growl erupted from his throat. "Who is the man responsible?"

The woman examined the blonde's expression, unable to tell what he was thinking. "I-" She stopped as the Captain turned to look directly at her. His sea-colored eyes briefly flashed gold that lit up like the sun before returning back to normal. "T-there were three."

"Where are they?"

"I-uh-" Could she tell him the truth? That she was capable of murder? "T-two are dead. The o-other-" Edward stood from the bed once more and left the cabin leaving the woman alone.

What had gotten into him?

Moments passed and soon the blonde returned with a water bucket in one hand, and a clean rag in the other. He sat the bucket on the ground before motioning Constance to flip over onto her stomach. She was slow to obey the Captain; the pain on her back and leg were depleting what energy she had left.

The brunette heard a sloshing sound coming from the bucket as she made herself as comfortable as she could. She didn't expect the cool water on her back as Edward dabbed the rag on her sore spine causing her to suck in a deep breath of air to keep from screaming. Her fingers gripped tightly onto the silk sheets while her toes curled at every touch.

"Who was the last man?" Edward questioned as he re-soaked the rag.

"It's-ah!" The pain felt like needles against her skin. "L-Luther! H-he said that t-the-" Constance bit the sheets to try and suppress the pain that burned at her back.

Edward stopped cleaning the wounds to study the scars. They were long and deep, and if not treated, would fester and corrupt. What all did they do to her? The blonde thought to himself.

The Captain set the rag along the edge of the bucket as he stood from the bed. "I will have the surgeon come clean and dress the rest of your wounds. As soon as he is done, I want you to rest."

The blonde was about to turn to leave when Constance grabbed a hold of his arm with a vice-like grip. "Wait! What about Luther?"

Edward easily loosened the woman's grip before turning away from her. "He is being dealt with."

X

The night sky was like an old friend to Edward as he traveled along the docks of Freeport. He had spent most of his youth looking up at the luminous expansion wondering if the stars looked the same everywhere else. It wasn't until he began traveling that he realized that the sky was much more beautiful the further away from civilization you were.

The blonde left the ship and followed the docks to a small fisherman's hut slightly north of his location. Juarez, a half-Spanish, half-English man sat on a crate outside his home while he knotted a net through the dim light of a small lantern.

The middle-aged man glanced at the approaching Captain and smiled. "I was told not to expect you."

"Did anyone ever show?" Edward got straight to the point.

"Aye. Your boy is a great fighter. He had that brute begging for mercy in less than a minute."

"Where are they now?" the blonde questioned while studying the bloodied boards under his feet.

"Some cloaked man came by to pick up the boy; took the body too. Said if you did decide to come handle things, they were going to be down the ways in the last building near the shore. They also mentioned that you are no longer going to be troubled by the organization."

The blonde scoffed out of habit; he knew that was a lie. "Anything else?"

The fisherman's smile grew. "The boy mentioned something before he left. He said he wanted you to keep the girl out of your private affairs. Don't want her getting hurt again now, do ya?"

Edward nodded his thanks as he turned to head back to the Jackdaw. His anger pushed him to go see the Brotherhood and get some answers to his questions, but he knew the outcome.

They were an organization of secrets, and since he technically wasn't an Assassin, he was forced to stay ignorant to their classified information.

X

The surgeon had came and gone before Edward had even arrived back at the ship. Constance had passed out due to exhaustion giving the blonde his chance to sneak into the bed.

His weapon straps were thrown lazily over his chair while his shirt and boots littered the floor next to the bed. Edward climbed on top the plush mattress and made himself comfortable on his back. It had been years since he last shared a bed with a woman who wasn't in it for casual sex.

It almost seemed…nice.

Constance's warmth beckoned for him to fill the space separating the two of them, but he fought against the urge and rolled onto his side to face away from her.

The Captain's thoughts drifted to a young woman with red hair and a smile that could charm any man. His sea-colored eyes closed as visions of his home in Bristol flooded into his memory. A soft smile adorned his lips as he remembered carrying the woman through a park to avoid her dress from being muddied. Her melodious laugh echoed through his ears as Edward imagined the two on their wedding day. It was the best day of his life, but he knew that's when the happiness ended.

The blonde opened his eyes to reveal the reality around him. Had he not chosen to become a privateer, he would be back in Bristol scraping off of odd jobs to make ends meet and for what? He would still be in poverty with a wife who detested his inability to hold a normal job. He knew that Caroline was better off without him; maybe she already remarried to a man who was wealthy and charming.

_She is better off without me, _Edward thought as he rolled onto his back.

It was then that he remember the strawberry-blonde little girl he had only seen once when returning to England. She was a new born to the world at the time, but her wide green eyes were curious about everything. The blonde had only seen her at a distant, too afraid to encounter his estranged wife whom held the baby in her arms.

_Jenny… _

Edward didn't even know his wife was pregnant when she left him after he announced that he wanted to join the Royal Navy as a privateer. When he returned, he knew he had screwed up, but he couldn't change the past. He chose the pirate life to gain freedom from a world that demanded control.

Constance stirred slightly in her sleep, but continued to nap soundlessly next to him making the blonde smile. Even in the worst of times, this woman never gave up.

Edward swept a few stray hairs from her face before rolling back over onto his side. Much needed sleep consumed the Captain as he finally shut his eyes and let his worries disappear.


	15. After the Storm

**So…I'm going to blame my boyfriend once more for a late chapter since he thinks: "Oh, she is typing, than I guess I'm going to bother her worse than the cat for attention." **

**So, yeah…blame him. **

**Also, been running low on ideas as of late…I have later chapters mapped out in my head, but to get the fillers in to get to that point is taking me a while to get a grasp on. I'm thinking about cutting a few of the fillers and jumping to the main part of the story soon, but I'm kind of curious what you, the readers, have to say, but I highly doubt you read this part anyway….**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 15: After the Storm

_Five Days later_

"That's a _G_," the Jackdaw navigator muttered as Constance pronounced the letter _C. _

"Why do they look the same anyway?" the woman questioned, frustrated with herself.

Since peace had been re-attained on board the ship, Edward had lead his crew across the Caribbean stopping every so often to pick off British and French camps and frigates. Rory had been kind enough to carry the woman topside to get fresh air and watch the men plunder forts and islands, but these occasions had been rare. The Viking-sized man wanted to coach her all about how the pirates would go about fighting the many different ships and forts; however, he was always needed when the battles drew close.

Instead, Mason, the ship's navigator, was ordered to teach the woman how to read so that she could efficiently examine charts and maps while the real men went off to fight. Constance was enthusiastic about the learning experience; however, Mason was not.

The navigator hated the idea of teaching a _savage _how to read; it seemed undermining and foolish to him. Mason felt that the woman was too old to learn and too stupid to grasp the letters into meanings. Because of this, the forty-six year old, obese, British man was lazy on his attempts to educate Constance.

"A _C _looks like the crescent of the moon, while a _G _has an added loop," the navigator replied, annoyed after only an hour of teaching. "Thank the Greeks for our current writing system, so don't blame me, _savage."_

The native woman muttered a few curses in her head as her grip tightened on the parchment. If she had the ability to walk, the man would no longer have a skull. Constance chuckled lightly at the thought; her mind was slowly melding to think like the pirates.

"From the beginning, re-read the first line and then the third," Mason sneered lazily.

"_F-I-L-O-S-A-M-T-_uh-" Constance stopped and examined the letter _Z. _The woman had only seen it a few times, but never memorized it. She waited in silence as she fought to remember how to pronounce the letter as Mason watched her behind his rounded spectacles.

"It takes a child a day to learn the alphabet, but it has taken you three just to learn a few letters," the navigator mumbled as he turned away from Constance and began reading some documents given to him by the Captain.

The woman sighed before sadly examining the parchment in her hands. She was normally a fast learner, but this concept seemed to fly past her knowledge. Why did the white men prefer letters over pictures?

Constance finally placed the thick paper on the table next to her bed as a sign that she had given up. After being stuck in her cabin for more than three days, the woman felt like she was on the verge of dying from boredom. She was officially a pirate, but she couldn't even enjoy the sea life due to her injuries.

The native felt alone on the ship once more now that Liam was longer apart of the crew. His bright spirit used to light up her darkest days, but since he was gone, the woman spent her free time with her thoughts. Edward's visits were brief when he decided to drop by, and they did help to cheer up the woman; however, he was always distant when speaking to her. Constance wished he would stay longer, so that she didn't have to be alone, but he was the Captain; his job was to take care of the ship, not her.

"Are you giving up?" Mason sneered as he glanced at the woman.

"You obviously don't want to be here, and I don't want to be taught by a man who thinks so little of me," Constance retorted as she glared back. "It does not bother me if you leave now. If the Captain asks, just say I was tired and went to sleep."

The greasy British scoffed and looked as though he was about to argue with the woman, but he merely sneered before collecting the parchments. He left the cabin muttering to himself, but the native paid no heed to his nasty remarks. Even if Constance hated the dark solidarity of her new room, she preferred it over that pompous jerk. The woman sighed as she examined her suffocating surroundings.

Because of the new design Edward had acquired, Constance's room was no longer able to fit in the figurehead. Her cabin was still in the forecastle, but she was now considered below deck rather than suspended over the ocean like she used to be. The idea saddened her since she loved the sound of the ocean when she slept.

The staircase was still there trapping the woman inside her room, and instead of the oval shaped space, her cabin was now square. Constance's mattress was placed in the far left corner adjacent against the far wall with a bed side table next to it. Rory had re-hung her cloth's line on the opposite wall next to her drawer while a water bucket was barely balancing on the edge of the wooden furniture.

The woman sighed as her fingers brushed over the red pillow on her lap. The first thing she did the moment she was alone in her own room, she had opened the down-filled fabric and placed her letter from Liam inside before re-sewing it shut. Her mind begged her to open it, but she refused to listen to her nagging conscious. A few lessons would not help her understand and read the words like she wanted to, so all she could do was wait.

The door to Constance's cabin suddenly flew open scaring the woman from her thoughts. The native studied the blonde as he shut the aperture behind him; his expression appeared annoyed. His normal garb was clear of the weapon straps, and he was stripped of his coat leaving him in his white shirt, dark blue trousers, and leather boots.

"Is there a reason why my navigator seems more upset than relieved to hear that you are too tired to continue learning?" Edward asked as he leaned against the wall across from the woman.

"That man will not teach me properly! I have a better chance learning from a blind scholar than Mason!" Constance retorted as her anger rose.

The blonde's glare intensified on the woman. "I hope you know a blind man who can read, because Mason is all we have."

"Then give me something else then if becoming a navigator means I have to deal with Mason's lack of respect at considering me more than just a savage!"

The Captain pushed himself from the wall and was sitting next to the woman in an instant. His fingers held tightly onto her chin as his sea-colored eyes gazed into her emerald ones. Constance showed no fear as she stared back; studying his behavior. For the past few days, she had been noticing the animal inside of him slowly escaping its cage. A mysterious need pounded at the doors of his mind, nearly overpowering his consciousness.

What caused this monster to stir from its slumber?

"I want you to continue practicing, and when Mason returns tomorrow, you will not argue nor will you ask him to leave. I will talk to him as well, but both of your attitudes had better not be bitter when lessons begin."

Edward let go of her chin before standing to leave. Constance gritted her teeth in anger as she glared at his retreating back.

"What is your problem anyway?" the woman snapped making the blonde stop at the door. "Ever since we left Freeport, you've been treating me more like a child. If I'm going to be a pirate, then I can't just sit around doing nothing!"

Edward turned to gaze at the brunette with a stoic expression. Although he was mildly surprised that the woman was becoming braver with her outbursts, he chose not to show it. "You are useless in your current state. The least you could do is learn how to read a chart until you are healthy enough to walk, then just maybe I might give you something else to do."

As much as the words stung, Constance knew he was right. Her leg was healing nicely, but not fast enough. The ship's surgeon predicted that her ribs and back would not stop her from walking once she is able to, but they would still stop her from doing anything reckless.

There was still too much waiting to do, and she hated it.

X

_Several hours later_

_C-L-V-R-Q-S-B_

A knock on Constance's door interrupted her studying making her sigh. "Come in."

Rory's brute-sized form squeezed though her small threshold with a plate of food in his hands. The smell of soup and bread made the woman's stomach growl out loud. She didn't even realize how hungry she had been.

Graciously taking the plate, Constance threw her manners aside as she wolfed down the meal. The woman heard Rory chuckle as she polished off the soup before soaking the bread in the last bit still left in the bowl.

"You look like an animal who hasn't eaten in days," the brute stated as he leaned back in a wooden chair next to the bed.

Constance swallowed the remaining food as she resisted the urge to belch. "I've only been getting fed once a day."

"Once a day?!" Rory appeared shocked. "Who isn't feeding ya, lass? Ya are already all bone!"

"Well, Otto brings me food in the m-"

"Ade, lass, not Otto," the brute corrected. "Short for Adewale. He gets a tad bit agitated when people don't get the name right."

Constance seemed confused. "Then how come he told me to call him Otto?"

"You must of misheard the name like most do when they hear it."

The woman nodded in understanding. "Well, _Ade, _comes in the mornings with food, and Mason is supposed to bring me some later in the afternoons as soon as we finish lessons, but he never does."

"And why haven't you said anything?" Rory took the empty tray from the woman and placed it on the bed side table.

"Who am I supposed to tell? Ade arrives before I wake up, and Mason doesn't even listen to me. It probably doesn't help that the Captain is brief with our meetings so I can't tell him."

"Give the men a break, lass. We've had a rough few weeks now with all that's been happening. Captain Kenway has us all over the Caribbean as of late to make up for the lost time. We even have some new recruits that need breaking in."

Constance's face fell at the thought of stopping at isles she would never be able to see. "I really hate sitting down here while you boys have all the fun. When am I finally going to go topside again?"

Rory gave the woman a sad smile knowing full well the pain of being bed ridden. "Well…if you want me ta…maybe I can convince the Captain ta keep ya on deck for more than just a few minutes…"

The brute wasn't ready for the small woman to pounce at him for a hug as Constance's lower body threaten to slide from the mattress and onto the floor. Rory smiled softly at the gesture feeling more like an uncle than a pirate.

"Well, lass, it's late, and we land in Nassau tomorrow," the Viking-sized man stated as he placed the woman back on the bed before standing and taking the empty food tray. "Neither Kenway or Adewale are talking much about it, so we can expect it to be more of a personal affair that them two need to handle."

"A personal affair?" Constance gazed at Rory with a confused look on her face "Does this happen often?"

"From time ta time," he replied with a shrug. "They both met 'bout a year or so ago, and have been doing some work outside piracy for a while now. The crew knows, but don't ask. Kenway may be notorious, but he ain't about ta put any of us in harm's way for a personal gain. That man is better than that."

The woman nodded knowing she wasn't about to get anymore information out of him. Rory smiled before heading towards the door.

"Best get some sleep now because tomorrow is going to be a big day for ya."


	16. Surprises

**Hello readers, well, I'm moving in to a new apartment right now, so I will not have internet for the next few days which means no updates for a while. I don't know how long this is going to be, so please don't be surprised if it's been a week without a new chapter. **

**Also, thanks to a lovely review from a reader concerning my AltairXOC story, I will be working on ideas for upcoming chapters on my story Renegade (which I haven't worked on in two years ****L) **

**Anyway, Enjoy.**

Chapter 16: Surprises

_Nassau…Dawn_

The sun had barely peaked over the eastern horizon when Edward quietly entered Constance's cabin as the woman slept. For the past few days, the blonde had done this to check up on the woman undetected by her or his crew. He didn't want to admit that he had a soft spot for the native, but he knew as the Captain, he couldn't let his men notice his growing affection.

Edward sat down on the edge of the bed near the headboard as he swept the bangs from her face. The once prominent bruises on the woman's cheek had faded to an unnoticeable yellow patch; the blonde had to admit that he had never seen such a fast recovery on anyone. Even the gash that she sustained when hitting her head on the mast had lessened to a small scab.

Lightly pulling down the sheets, the Captain slid her shirt up her torso to stop at the faint bruise on her side. Her ribs still needed more time to heal, but the mark was finally gone. Edward had been unable to check up on the scars marring her back since he let the surgeon do all the work to fix her up.

The blonde knew he shouldn't worry so much about her. She had been through hell her entire life, and yet here she was still able to push her stubbornness onto him and his crew. Edward was barely able to hold back his smile as the woman rolled onto her side, pulling his arm under her as she hugged it.

Sea-colored eyes watched as the woman's body cuddled closer to his warmth making it more impossible for him to sneak out. The Captain sighed as he tried to make himself comfortable; if this was going to go one like when she hugs her pillows, then it shouldn't last more than a few minutes.

Grabbing her favorite red pillow from the other side of the bed, Edward lied down next to the woman while he waited. The pillow felt weird under his head, but he dismissed it as his thoughts went elsewhere.

Adewale informed him that the recent events on board the Jackdaw were becoming somewhat disturbing in the eyes of the Assassins. New information had been leaked that the Templars were desperate to claim the new world in hopes that it might be just what they needed to start their ideal land of control. However, in Edward's mind, this was both good and bad.

The reason why he leaned more toward the Assassins was to learn their abilities so that he could fight, adapt, and ultimately survive. The Templars; however, had a much more promising motivation which benefited him in the long run. The only problem he found with the Templars is that he would be under their control; that was something he didn't want.

The woman loosened her grip on his arm allowing the blonde to roll onto his back to get out of the bed, but Constance instantly rolled onto his chest, pinning him in place.

_Just great, _Edward thought as he sighed.

He was glad they both had a shirt on so that their skin never touched; however, the blonde could feel that she didn't have any trousers on. _As long as her legs stay under the blanket-_

The Captain's thoughts were cut off when something felt like it was biting at the back on his neck. Re-fluffing the red pillow, Edward thought that he fixed the problem, but the poking feeling returned. Pulling the pillow out from under him, he searched the fabric for any loose pieces that could be causing it, but he found none. Why would she pick this one as her favorite?

Tossing the down-filled cushion aside, the blonde focused on the plan that was to be executed later that day on the harbor. He had already double-checked his weapons and re-ran every possibility in his head if anything were to go wrong. Even though he couldn't think of anything, something nagged at the back of his mind as though he was forgetting something important.

Edward felt the woman tremble as a whimper escaped her lips. Her body began to visibly shake as she tightly gripped the blonde's shirt.

"Ssshh," the Captain cooed while running a hand on top of her head. Constance's grasp loosened slightly, but she continued to shake.

Edward softly stroked her hair as the woman whimpered every so often. This had not been the first time he had to do this. Sometimes she would cry out while other times the blonde didn't even know she was having night terrors until he saw her nails digging into the bed.

However, as soon as she woke, she would act like nothing had bother her at all. Even though he was proud that she was strong enough to handle the situation, the blonde hoped a little that she would confront him to talk to him about all of it. The mystery that lurked around the woman pushed Edward to the verge of begging to know her secrets.

Maybe he should of dropped her off in Boston like he promised instead of convincing her to stay. Maybe she would have been safer there…

Constance murmured softly before rolling off the blonde and facing her back to him. Edward pushed himself onto his elbows to study her behavior, but she was back in her soundless sleep, ignorant of the world around her.

The Captain smiled lightly as he retreated from the bed before the woman decided to roll back on top of him. He gave her one last look as he silently left the room and was greeted by dawn's early light. The crew were still below deck leaving the ship empty of activity save for Adewale at the helm.

The blonde rolled his eyes as he climbed the steps to the wheel; he loathed when the quartermaster would wait and watch his every move.

"You can't allow your feelings to overcome your judgment," Ade stated as he sharpened his dagger with a whetstone. The dark-skinned man was leaning against the ship's railing with his right leg propped up.

"I thought the Assassins preferred it when I showed a little compassion in my actions," Edward mocked as he took his scope from the wheel's railing and gazed out onto Nassau's harbor. "The moment I show a sign of selflessness, and the Order thinks that I should keep my feelings to myself. I think they should keep their mouths shut if they can't make up their minds."

Adewale sneered at the Captain's attitude. "The Brotherhood is trying to look after you. We have given you the skills needed to better help you survive, but yet here you are as more of a pirate than an Assassin."

"Then what does that make you?" Edward questioned as he lowered the scope to look at the quartermaster. "Here you are as a pirate, joining alongside me rather than staying with your _brothers_. How do you faire yourself better than I?"

Ade stood from the railing as he examined the shorter man in front of him. "I am here as a pirate, an Assassin, and a brother to you. Do you not think that I no longer consult the creed? I joined with you because we found the same goals within one another, but unlike you, my decisions are made wisely to honor both sides of my life."

The blonde rolled his eyes as he leaned against the ship's railing opposite of the quartermaster. "So tell me, why does it take me being kind to one of the crew members for the Assassins to start interfering with my personal life?"

"You are placing her first in any decision you make rather than the good of your crew or the Brotherhood," Adewale replied as he went back to sharpening his dagger.

"I haven't been putting her first since she decided to stay aboard. She is now one of the men rather than a guest, but even so, she is injured, so I'm not going to sit ideally by why she suffers."

"She is still affecting your judgment."

Edward growled under his breath as he took in a deep breath to calm himself. "So when are we to look into this _problem _the Brotherhood keeps whining about?"

"One of our men will raise the flag at the fort when the time comes, for now, we wait."

X

Constance let out a grunt of pain as her body hit the floor. The woman gritted her teeth as she felt the familiar sharp pain stab at her side and leg. Glancing around the dark room, she noticed she was still in her own cabin, but she couldn't figure out why she had ended up on the ground.

The memories of her dreams faded away as the woman pulled herself back onto the bed. Something felt out of place in her room as the woman pulled her blanket back over her half-naked form. She studied every detail of the cabin trying to understand the feeling, but nothing was out of place.

_Maybe I am just losing my mind, _Constance thought as she grazed her fingers over her red pillow.

Without warning, the cabin door flew open as bare feet rushed down the steps. Still jumpy from the intrusion, Constance studied the tall, lanky man with greasy, long brown hair that fell to his shoulders. His brown eyes glowed red in the dark as he lit the lantern next to the stairwell.

"Did the Captain send you?" the woman asked, eyeing the man suspiciously. She had never seen him before, and figured he was one of the new recruits Rory had mentioned.

"I-uh…they didn't say you were a woman," the man replied as his crazed eyes fluttered over her body.

Out of cautiousness, Constance raised the blanket to cover herself more. "Who are you?"

"Surgeon Hobbs says ta check up on ya, seen if there is anything ya need since the crew is going to be gone most of the day."

The woman shrank under his animalistic gaze as she turned to look at the drawer where a hunting knife rested in between her clothes. "Everything is fine."

"Alright then." The man gave the woman a creepy grin before turning toward the door. "No one said there was a woman on board," she heard him mutter as he closed the hatch behind him.

Constance let out a heavy breath of air that she didn't even know she was holding. Did pirates not care who they picked up to be part of the crew?

The woman's cabin door flew open scaring the native once more. She watched as Rory's heavy footsteps slowly descended down the stairs with a smile on his face and a tray of food in his hands.

"Alright, lass, need ya ta eat up and get dressed," the man announced in a cheerful tone. "Got a big day ahead of us!"

"A big day?" Constance questioned as Rory placed the food on her lap.

"Aye. Captain Kenway and Adewale have already made port, and gave the crew the day off."

"But what does that have to do with me?" the woman asked as she took a bite of her bread. "I can't go anywhere."

Walking over to the clothes line, Rory picked up Constance's trousers and placed them on the edge of the bed. "The boys and I are going for a few drinks on the beach. Thought it was about time you had some real fresh air."

The woman smiled as she finished her breakfast; she couldn't wait to finally be on land again.

X

Ever since 1713, the sparsely populated Bahamas had been the haven for all pirates. The shallow waters prevented the large British Man-o-Wars from getting close, and Nassau's snug harbors favored the hit and run tactics.

White sand met clear blue water while a forest separated the beaches from the English and French cultured town. Nassau was the true home of the pirates, and, unlike Freeport, was much more largely populated with more alcohol and women.

Edward and Adewale traversed down the dirt roads while they awaited their signal. The fort towering over the harbor had all but been demolished since the pirates took the port for their own. Lost regimes usually inhabited the smoldered remains, but as of late, the Brotherhood had managed to claim the fort for themselves. Sea-colored eyes examined the harbor and open ocean while watching the dark-skinned man through his peripheral vision.

"If they are here, how come they can't do the job themselves?" the blonde questioned.

Adewale never took his eyes from the flag post perched at the top of the hillside where the base of the fort started. "If the word got out that an order outside of piracy infiltrated the city, there would be unnecessary bloodshed."

"Right…" Edward drawled out, getting bored of waiting.

The port began to fill with people as the sun rose higher into the sky. Minutes became hours as the two men found themselves at a tavern across the harbor from the fort, playing a few games of chess to pass the time.

"They should of given a sign by now," Ade muttered as brown eyes gazed at the empty post.

"Didn't you say that about three hours ago?" Edward questioned as he placed a bottle of rum to his lips.

"There must be a hold up on the plan. We will give them a few more hours."

"Or how about this: I am tired of sitting around."

The blonde stood from his chair and made his way across the bustling crowd toward the ruins. Adewale's voice rose above the throng of people, but Edward ignored it as he pushed open the wooden door and entered into darkness.

The one thing the Captain noticed the most as he followed the dark stone corridors was the lack of noise. No sound of cackling fire, voices, footsteps, or even rats.

Continuing down the hallway, a flight of spiral staircases lit by the sun's rays was the only place left to go, so Edward followed the trail. The blonde could hear Adewale behind him as he neared the top of the tower where an ajar wooden door greeted him on the last step.

The Captain held back his breakfast as the room's stench filled his nostrils. Six motionless bodies lied in random areas of the room, each with a fatal wound in a different place. _They didn't go out without a fight, _Edward thought as he examined the rotten corpse of a tall male whose throat appeared slashed open.

"Their deaths are days old, but how?" the dark-skinned man asked as he studied the body of a young boy no older than eight. "They responded to the letters yesterday."

The blonde ruffled through a few documents littering the top of a chest, surveying each one closely. "The Templars are merely a few steps ahead in the game is all."

"They didn't even have time to prepare for the plan," Ade gritted through his teeth as Edward sat down and leaned back in a cushioned chair.

"I wouldn't say that." The blonde extended the letter out to the quartermaster who quickly retrieved it and read through its contents. "So, I guess this means the plan is still in effect?"

"Aye, but it's going to be some time before Rousseau returns to the Bahamas."

Edward leaned forward in his chair, placing his elbows on his knees. "And how long do wait now?"

"Two months."

X

Rory chuckled as Constance leaned closer onto his body. The Viking-sized man didn't expect the woman to get drunk when he left her on the beach while he tried his luck at a few gambles, but that is what he gets for leaving her alone. The native continued to slur words together as she went on about how stupid the French royalty looked with their frills and shoes that belonged on a woman.

Rory managed to squeeze inside the brunette's cabin with her still in his arms before placing her on the bed. Constance's speech slowed as the brute pulled the covers over her tiny form before handing her a ladle of water.

"You know, Rory, I like you. I _really _like you," the woman slurred as she hiccupped. "Y-you do everything you can to help me, and you never ask anything in return."

The man couldn't help but smile at her words. "Alright, c'mon, lass. Time for you to get some sleep. Captain won't be pleased to hear that you got drunk."

Constance muttered a few curses before fully lying down in her bed. Rory gave one last smile before blowing out the lantern and leaving the cabin.

X

Sea-colored eyes gazed at the brute-sized man as he closed the hatch on the forecastle before disappearing below deck to his own bed. The blonde planned on waiting a few minutes before sneaking into Constance's cabin, but there was no activity on deck since the crew was out drinking and whoring. Taking his chances, Edward advanced toward the hatch and descended down the staircase into the woman's quarters.

Relighting the lantern, the blonde expected to see Constance passed out on her bed, but instead found her fully awake with another bottle of rum on her lips.

"And where did you manage to get that?" Edward asked as he snatched the container from the woman causing her to gasp before hiccupping.

"Hey! That's mine!" the native slurred. She extended her body to reach for the bottle, but she immediately fell back against her headboard, too weak to try and fight for it.

"You should be resting." The Captain placed the bottle of rum on the woman's bedside table before sitting on the edge of the mattress.

"And why should I? The rest of the crew is out and still drinking," Constance replied trying to grab for the container, but Edward snatched her wrist with his hand.

"Get some sleep."

"What is your problem anyway? Maybe you should relax and go out for a drink."

The Captain growled lightly before releasing her hand and took the bottle for himself. He cleared the rest of the liquid from the jug in one swig before setting the empty container back on the bedside table. Constance glared at him, but she couldn't hold it for long before she starting giggling.

"And what's so funny?" Edward asked.

"You are so serious right now," the woman managed to sputter in between laughing fits. "Maybe you go out and find a woman to share your bed with so you can loosen up a bit."

Although the Captain had heard worse ways to put the phrase, the thought of it coming from Constance made him feel embarrassed. "The only reason why I am upset right now is because you-"

The blonde was cut off as the woman grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him forward onto her lips. Sea-colored eyes widened as he tasted the alcohol on her breath and the felt the softness of her skin on his. His mind hollered for him to stop, but he couldn't help but close his eyes and return the kiss.

The moments passed too quickly for the Captain as the woman broke the contact. Her eyes were glazed in drowsiness as she studied the blonde before she finally collapsed forward onto his chest.

Edward sat in the silence that followed, unable to contemplate what had just happened. That wasn't his Constance. That was an open-minded, carefree woman who held no shame on her actions, and the Captain couldn't help but love the new attitude that the rum had given her.

The blonde smiled as the woman slept soundlessly in his arms. He knew he was going to have a hard time explaining this moment tomorrow to the brunette, but at this point, he didn't care.


	17. Under the Surface

**Woot! I finally got my internet back! **

**Really sorry that I couldn't have put this update up faster, but since I was moving and what not, and I had to wait forever for my internet provider to come out and turn it on, I had to 'wait patiently' until that time came(I was not patient).**

**Anyway, time to get to the chapter you guys have been waiting for. Enjoy. **

Chapter 17: Under the Surface

_On board the Jackdaw…the next morning_

Fingers brushed through brunette hair as the woman held back the strands from getting in her face. She heaved her breakfast overboard one last time before collapsing onto the wooden deck. Her breath was rapid, and her throat begged for water; however, she had barely made it to the deck to puke; she couldn't imagine fetching a drink in her now drained state. The woman regretted drinking as much alcohol as she did, but she was thankful no one was on board to see her embarrassing hour of vomiting.

Footsteps to her right made Constance snap her head to the man approaching her with a flask held out for her to take. Graciously taking the metal container, the native chugged the contents until there was nothing left. The woman heard the man chuckle, but she paid no heed as she handed the flask back to him.

"First time drunk, I assume," Edward smirked as Constance placed a hand on her head.

"If this is the consequences, then why do men continue to drink?" the woman questioned, her queasiness returning.

"Time and more alcohol lessens the hangovers." The blonde sat beside the woman, his back leaning against the railing. "Although, you do become a bit of a helpless romantic when you are drunk."

Constance groaned as she placed her head in her hands. "I did something stupid, didn't I?"

Edward was astonished as he studied the woman. "You don't remember anything?" She shook her head while muffling a no into her skin. The blonde chuckled as relief flooded through his body. Now he didn't have to explain his actions for last night. "Don't worry, no one saw anything. However, you may want to speak with Rory about your feelings of '_really _liking him.'"

The woman groaned again as her cheeks flared a dark red. _What have I done? _she thought to herself not wanting to know what she said or did.

"How did you get up on deck?" Edward asked trying to change the subject. "Thought you couldn't climb the stairs."

"It doesn't hurt as bad as it used to, but I still can't walk on it," Constance replied taking her hands from her face.

Edward nodded before looking up at the morning sky. As much as he wanted to continue out of Nassau and back into the sea, the blonde knew that they were awaiting information from anyone at this point. Whether it be the Assassins or Templars.

"Captain, a word," a voice called from the helm of the ship. Both Constance and Edward looked up to see Adewale beckoning the blonde over.

"Excuse me, love."

Edward, irritated with the Assassin as of late, calmly made his way onto the quarterdeck before hurrying up the stairs where the dark-skinned man awaited by the wheel.

"Seems the crew found something interesting while having a drink at the taverns," Ade stated as he held out the torn parchment for the Captain. The blonde snatched the paper away and examined the faded ink.

"Bellamy? Black Sam?"

"Aye," the quartermaster replied as he leaned against the railing. "The _Marianne's_ crew was fed up with Hornigold's lack of pillaging on English ships, so they deposed him and elected Sam as their new captain."

"Did Thatch try to stop this?"

"No word on if he tried to or not, but Benjamin left the ship to Teach and the rest of the crew, and from there they did what pirates do when there is no captain."

Edward re-read the letter once more before setting it down on the wheel's railing. "Any other news?"

Ade sighed as he glanced out onto the ocean's calm waters. "None. Seems the Templar control is more out of hand than we imagined; however, some men in the bar speak of rebellions in other ports due to outlandish laws. More fleets are being sent out every day to secure the safety of their country's most valuable treasures."

"So for once you are asking me to be a pirate rather than an Assassin?" Edward smirked.

The quartermaster bit his lower lip in agitation then nodded. "For once, you should do what is best for yourself."

X

_Two weeks later_

The tan brunette circled around her opponent, blocking his swings before thrusting her blade forward, disarming the boy. The woman smirked as the lad put his hands up in surrender, letting her know she had won.

"Very good, Constance," Miguel congratulated as he stepped in between the two trainees. "Seems you found your confidence, but remember to keep it light. Too much will begin to hinder your progression."

The woman nodded trying to hold back her grin. After finally being able to train once again, she felt like the happiest person on Earth. No more sitting in a dark room and no more feeling like a burden. She loved how the sun kissed her skin and the smell of the fresh, ocean breeze. The clear blue water and endless number of islands always had something to explore; places that Edward planned to take the entire crew to.

"I need all hands on deck!" the Captain ordered from his post at the helm making all eyes turn toward him.

A cheer of 'ayes' echoed through the crowded deck as everyone dispersed to their positions. Sheathing her sword, the woman rushed to the foremast and took to her post on the nest. The memories of the stormy night did not haunt her decision to become a rigger, but instead encouraged it. The Captain wasn't too pleased with her choice, but he had no room to argue with her. All because she was a woman did not mean she got special treatment; although, he did give it to her anyway.

Constance watched as the men below brought out beams of wood and large, bell-shaped metal cases from the storage rooms below deck and heaved them into positions on every available place around the ship's railing. Edward had vanished long ago into his cabin while Adewale kept up orders as he steered the vessel.

"We need a full stop!" the quartermaster called sending the woman in frenzy to secure the ropes. Her mind raced as she worked on the yard. _What was the Captain planning? _she thought as she knotted the last of the line.

The blonde, as if on queue with the woman's head, exited his quarters in nothing more than pale trousers that ended at his knees with a red sash around his waist. His normally free flowing hair was pulled back in a small ponytail and his weapons were disposed of.

Curiosity lured the woman to the rope connected to the foremast's post where she grabbed a tight hold of it before leaping off the yard. Her descent slowed letting her feet land softly on the deck before rushing to Rory's side next to one of the bells being secured to the beams.

"What is this?" she questioned as she gazed on in awe.

The Viking-sized man jumped, surprised by the woman's quiet approach before turning back to the apparatus. "It's an air barrel. Asian design if I'm correct. The divers 'ould lower these babies inta the water and would go inside 'fer air so they can continue their expeditions without having ta surface."

"But wouldn't it fill with water once you put it in the ocean?"

"That's the interesting part," Rory replied, his teeth showing through his grin. "Because of the design, the container keeps an air pocket inside even after submerging it in the water."

"Wow…but wait, why do we need them?"

"This region is 'ome ta a small ship graveyard full of who knows what. Some of them are pirate vessels, others 'ere part of Spanish and British fleets."

"Which leaves a lot of treasure ripe for the picking?"

"Exactly." Both Rory and Constance pivoted toward the approaching Captain who smirked at the woman's forming blush at his half-naked form. "Not many ships go back for their comrades and vessels, leaving many opportunities for us pirates who are willing to go down there."

The woman cleared her throat to rid of the dry feeling taking over her mouth. "Who else will be diving with you?"

"Just me," Edward smirked arrogantly, making Constance widened her eyes in astonishment. "Makes it easier to avoid the hostile wildlife."

"You're mad!" the woman cried as the blonde hopped up onto the ship's railing.

"If I weren't this would never work." The Captain turned away from the two to look at the rest of the crew. "All men on the barrels and hook lines. Time to treasure hunt, lads!"

Constance was completely shocked as Edward swan dived off the railing and into the water below. The woman rushed to the side of the ship and watched as the crew lowered the air barrels into the ocean. The Captain was no where in sight as the ropes tugged indicating that the bells were as far as they could go. She knew it would take some time for this to be over, but worry flooded through her veins.

"Does he do this often?" Constance questioned, still watching the ocean.

"Only when we come across graveyards or coves…so you can say it happens quite a lot," Rory responded taking a spot next to her. He nudged his elbow against her shoulder playfully. "Oh c'mon, Kenway is a smart man. He knows 'ow ta survive. We've only 'ad one bad experience during our dives."

The woman eyed the man warily. "And what exactly happened?"

"Nothing too bad. It was just because a shark didn't like the Captain swimming through 'is territory. He came out alright expect for the bite mark on 'is side, but like I said: nothing too bad. He recovered in less than a week."

Constance's eyes widened as her head snapped back at the water. "And you don't expect it to happen again?"

Rory chuckled as he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, lass. As long as we do our jobs, the Captain will be safe."

X

The long dives always put Edward in a different realm where his mind was free from thought. He enjoyed the sea from under the surface; it was like stepping into a completely different world. The only thing he had to worry about were the hostile creatures calling this domain their home.

At least a dozen ships lied waiting in the shallow ridge of the sea floor for someone to discover their secrets. Now came the difficult part of navigating through the barnacle infested wood to find anything of value.

The outline of a shark passed overhead as Edward crawled along the seafloor to get to the first ship. His eyes scanned the rocks and wood to avoid any urchins or other poisonous animals along the ground. A crab scurried away as the blonde dove into the doorframe of a captain's quarters only to find the place completely caved in. Kicking himself back out, Edward reached up into an air barrel, refreshed his lungs, and dove back under.

The next vessel was still, for the most part, intact, and leaned heavily off the edge of the ridge wall. Only one mast remained standing while the rest of the ship only sustained a hull breach in damage. This was probably one of the best preserved vessels the Captain had seen the sea claim, which meant that most of its luggage had stayed inside.

Edward neared the deck entrance and slipped inside before the sharks noticed his presence. Barrels of gunpowder and crates of rusted weapons blocked most of the entry ways into the lower areas, but with a light push, the wooden containers fell to the ground giving the blonde enough room to swim through.

The further the Captain journeyed into the hold, the more he realized that this was a supply vessel lost to the sea. There wasn't going to be anything worth of value in here, at least, not anymore. Edward quickly exited the hold and headed into the captain's quarter, which to his luck, was unscathed.

The ecosystem of the ocean had claimed the cabin for itself; covering every inch of the room with dirt and coral. The captain's desk had fallen against the left wall where most of the items in the room were thanks to the angle of the vessel's suspension over the cliff. The bony remains of a small child rested on top of the desk with most of his lower half missing. The lad was most likely a slave of the captain's, forced to stay behind due to no room on the rowboats. A very common occurrence with sailors who wanted to save themselves rather than the lives of their crew; slave or not.

A slight sliver of light reflected off of something on the desk attracting Edward's attention toward it like a moth to a flame. Under the white appendages, a solid gold coin glimmered like a beacon in the dark waters of the ridge. _Were there more? _the blonde thought as he placed the treasure safely in between his sash and body.

Creaks rumbled loudly off the seafloor as the ship shook heavily. Edward wasted no time kicking his body toward the exit as the vessel began to slowly slide off the ridge's edge. The lone mast groaned before its base finally caved in and descend towards the Captain's quarters. The blonde quickly planted his feet against the deck, and kicked his body to the left just as the mast collided against the helm of the ship. The force sent the rest of the vessel drifting over the rim and into the darkness of the ocean that the sun's light would never reach.

The Captain didn't linger long as his lungs screamed for him to get oxygen. He entered the nearest barrel to his left and consumed as much air as he could when he surfaced. The burning sensation in his chest receded as he stayed within the safety of the metal container, taking in as much oxygen as possible before diving back under.

The next three vessels that Edward chose all produced the same outcome: nothing. Each ship was filled with either empty crates that were once part of a supply fleet. Rusted blades, destroyed gunpowder, and useless rifles littered every single storage room; which didn't seem like a coincidence.

Frustrated, the Captain left the vessel in search of the nearest air barrel. He never noticed the shadow circling him from below as he grabbed the dangling chains at the bottom of the bell-shaped containers. As the blonde began to pull himself inside, the beast charged toward its prey like a speeding bullet. Its eyes rolled back into its sockets, blinding the creature temporarily to prevent damage as its jaws and snout slammed against flesh and metal.

Edward swallowed water as he gasped in shock and pain. The shark's jaws had missed him, but the rough skin of the beast's snout managed to cut a small wound on his leg. The blonde crawled into the safety of the bell as the creature disappeared out of sight and circled the air barrel from the top.

Edward spat out salty, ocean water as he broke through the surface. His lungs and throat burned, upsetting his stomach and making him want to vomit. The Captain was well aware of the presence lurking behind the metal sanctuary just as it was of him, and now that he was bleeding, he had no where to run.

X

"Sir, we've got a problem!" one of the crew members called abeam to port. Adewale waltzed over to the railing of the ship, examining the shaking wood that supported the air barrels down below.

"Do you know what is causing it?" the quartermaster questioned as he looked down at the sea.

The men surrounding the device studied the apparatus, shaking their heads in confusion. "Could be anything…current maybe, but the stress is becoming too much for the beam to take."

"We keep the barrels lowered-" Ade started, but was immediately interrupted by an exploding eruption of gasps.

"Sir! There is blood in the water!"

The entire crew was port side in less than a second, looking down at the faint traces of red hitting the surface. Constance watched on in horror from her spot on the ropes above the rest of the crew. Dread froze her in place and left her eyes locked on the ocean below.

"Morris, Àntoli, Brahman! Get ready to dive! I want you-"

Adewale was once again interrupted from his orders as the sound of groaning wood increased. The beam supporting the air barrel suddenly snapped, sending thousands of splintering pieces of wood across the deck and into the water. The crew scattered instantly; the injured hurried to tend to their wounds while the rest of the men rushed to get more wood to fix the apparatus. The line holding the barrel was still intact which gave hope to recover the bell-shaped container; however, the news of the Captain's safety was still questionable.

Constance was still in state of shock as she watched the crew scurry to fix the device. Her green eyes moved to look back at the now debris covered sea, searching for any sign of life amongst the damage.

_Please be alright, _she hoped as the three crew members were getting ready to dive right below her.

X

Edward held on tightly to the small incisions inside the air barrel as the Great White charged at the container. The blonde bounced back and forth between the metal sides as the beast continued its onslaught; not once tiring until it had its meal.

Sea-colored eyes finally opened as the attacks seized and the container quit swaying. Edward's breath was rapid not only from the exerting nature of the creature, but from the adrenaline pumping into his system. His muscles trembled as he waited for the next assault, but the attack never came. _What is the shark waiting for?_

Against his better judgment, the blonde pushed down the slight fear running through his body and dove back under the water's surface. The silhouette of the beast was no where in sight as the Captain retreated from the safety of the container and observed his surroundings. The schools of fish that were once crowding the ridge had disappeared leaving the area empty of activity.

A red flag waved in Edward's head as his body turned to look in every direction. He knew the shark didn't just leave; it was waiting for him to make a move. Sea-colored eyes gazed down at the dark sea floor, and that's when he saw it. The dark gray hide of the Great White made one more circle formation below the barrel before charging upward at the Captain.

The beady black eyes of the shark rolled back as its mouth extended open to take out its prey. The blonde propelled himself back into the container just as the beast's snout made contact with the barrel. Edward lurched forward with the momentum causing his head to hit the top of the bell-shaped case.

The Captain's head spun as blood seeped from the new wound near his hairline. The container trembled and the sound of ringing metal deafened his hearing as black spots filtered in and out of his vision.

All of a sudden, the air barrel began to push down onto the blonde and descend downwards toward the seafloor. Edward was forced against the top of the casing as he plummeted straight into the muddy ground, sinking the metal a few inches into the Earth. The impact sent the blonde under the water as the sand stirred like a storm in and around the barrel.

He quickly resurfaced, spitting sand and water from his mouth. Taking note of his situation, Edward tried to push the casing, but it wouldn't budge. He then tried to ram it, but the outcome was still the same. Diving back down, the blonde felt along the seafloor for an opening, but there were none.

He was completely trapped in a metal tomb almost five hundred meters in the ocean, and the crew most likely had no idea of his predicament. He forced himself to stay calm as he played through any possibilities of escape; however, he found his options limited.

Death was about to finally catch up with him.


	18. Hostile Waters

**Writing this chapter was so difficult. About two more videos of underwater gameplay popped up while I was brainstorming and typing, so about half-way in I was forced to re-write some of the settings and features(That's why it took so long to update). **

**Anyway, Enjoy. **

Chapter 18: Hostile Waters

_On board the Jackdaw_

Constance held her breath as the three men dove into the littered water below in search for their Captain. The woman's throat constricted, making it hard for her to breath as she waited for the verdict. Her anticipation grew with every minute that passed while the crew strived to fix the beams to the air barrel.

_What is taking so long? _she thought as Adewale joined her at the railing. Both stood in silence as the ocean waves rocked the boat like a cradle causing the debris to knock against the wooden hull.

"Can you swim?"

The question caught the woman off guard causing her to glance up at the quartermaster. "Y-yes. I had some experience on the island."

"Do you know how to dive?" His tone was serious and straightforward letting the woman know that he also feared the outcome of the Captain.

"Of course."

"Good. We need a third to retrieve the barrel, but most of the men are unable to swim under the surface. Could you do it?"

Constance pivoted her full attention toward the man with a confused look on her face. "You want me to go down there?"

"Yes." His expression never changed.

"But what about the Captain? Shouldn't we be-"

"As much as we both want Mr. Kenway safe from harm, we need to also think about our duties and what it is that we were ordered to do."

Although the woman wanted to argue with the dark-skinned man, she knew that he was right. Contemplating the action once more in her head, she already knew what her answer was going to be. If she was down in the water, she could keep an eye open for Edward. "I'm in."

Adewale nodded before reviewing her current wardrobe. "Change into some light cloths, and be on deck when I call for you."

X

Edward's fist bled from the constant beating he inflicted on the metal, hoping to loosen the barrel from the dirt, but the bell never budged. The minutes passed like hours, but his body refused to give up. The blonde's mind swam in uncertainty causing him to nearly hyperventilate as he slowly stopped his assault, and took in a few deep breaths to calm himself before the panic fully set in.

The air inside the container was beginning to stale from carbon dioxide, making the blonde's head swoon in dizziness. If he didn't get out soon, he would either suffocate or drown.

Closing his eyes, the blonde forced himself to think about the bell's design both inside and out. The entire casing was forged steel including the top and bottom. The top was too heavy to try to push it open alone, but the bottom had two barred windows that were durable, but would be the Captain's only chance to escape.

Taking a deep breath, Edward dove under the water and ran his hand along the casing until his fingers brushed the opening. His bare feet stung as he repeatedly kicked the glass until it caved, cutting his left foot in the process. He wrapped his digits across the top of the circle vent before thrusting his feet against the bars. The metal bent slightly at the force, but it immediately popped back into place. The blonde continued to assault the alloy until his lungs strained from the lack of oxygen. He didn't hesitate as he surfaced, drew in a large breath and vanished back into the black, sandy water.

Every second he wasted could have been time used to free himself. He wasn't about to die at the bottom of the ocean without at least fighting his way back.

X

Constance was on deck and awaited next to the two other men wearing blue trousers that stopped at her knees, and a black shirt that was cut at her belly button. She followed the men's actions and swan dived off the edge of the ship into the inviting sea below. At first, the water sent a cool burst over the woman's body before settling at a reasonable warm temperature. The two other pirates had already moved ahead and followed the line still connected to the missing barrel.

The woman couldn't help but sight see as she kicked forward, trailing behind the men as they ventured further into the abyss. Beneath the ocean's glassy exterior was a completely different realm all together. The only part of the sea she had dared to explore was the shallows surrounding her island. She had always wondered what the world looked like from beneath the ships, and here she was, seeing only a small portion of a bigger world.

Her lungs began to burn early into the descent causing her to nearly panic, but Adewale's words reeled in her mind: find the nearest air bell. The closest one was to her right, barely hovering over a sunken ship. She quickly made her way inside, filled her lungs before continuing to follow the men.

Chapeau, a thin, French man whom the woman only spoke to once, was the first to reach the bell-shaped container, and pulled on the limp rope to gather the cord. The mission was simple: pull up the rope, make sure the line was secure, and navigate the barrel if it happened to fall into a tight spot. Chapeau was in charge of the cord while a short, British man, Holifield, secured the knot on the casing.

Constance watched as the men worked as she drew closer to the barrel. She was quick to notice the metal had been bent inwards slightly in random places and the bottom rim was lodged within the mud. Whatever had happened, it hindered any progression of easily pulling it from the abyss.

Movement from the corner of her eye sent the woman's attention toward a small opening that was fenced from entry. Upon inspection, the glass had been cracked open and edge of the metal had come loose, but it didn't seem like a problem to the native as she kicked her way back up to the top of the casing.

Holifield, after tugging on the knot twice, signaled for the two to follow him to the air barrel above them where they met inside; their shoulders squeezed against one another in the small spacing.

"The knot is secure, but the metal is too far in the ground for the crew to pull it out," Holifield stated as his eyes flicked between the two.

"So we dig it out?" Constance questioned.

"It's not that simple," Chapeau inputted in his thick, French accent. "This seafloor has heavier mud that claims anything buried within. It would take more strength than we have for it to budge."

"We need to report to Adewale, if he thinks it is feasible, we will try, but right now it seems we might have to abandon it," Holifield stepped in.

Constance nodded even though she felt like it was a waste of beautiful architecture. As the trio exited the barrel, the men instantly began to swim for the Jackdaw while the woman lingered behind to view the mysterious terrain. Unlike the landscape above the water, the ocean was mostly composed of rock and mud with little variations of color. Bits of coral and seaweed stood out amongst the blue, but the realm remained dark in comparison to the light waiting above the surface.

The woman had just propelled herself upward to leave the ocean basin when a rogue current swept her back down. It took all her willpower not to swallow any water as she gasped at the force on her body. She tried to fight against it, but eventually she was pushed all the way down until her form hit the muddy seafloor. The current's strength prevented it from reaching the bottom of the ocean allowing Constance to redirect herself.

The woman kicked toward the nearest air bell on her left and surfaced within. She spat out the salty water that dried her throat instantly before diving back under. Adewale warned her of the sharks and the threat of falling rocks, but he never mentioned the under swell. Just as Constance was about to attempt resurfacing for a second time, a glimmer out of the corner of her eye stopped her in her wake.

Looking downwards, she noticed the buried casing of the barrel was in the same spot, but nothing else was there. As she shrugged the thought away, the barrel began to shake and a muffled thud could be heard every other second. Curious, the woman swam closer, inspecting every inch of the bell until she found the bars that allowed her to look inside. Upon gazing into the dark contraption, Constance discovered a faint outline of something inside

Hitting the casing twice hoping to scare whatever creature was stuck within toward the fence, the woman instead heard two knocks echo hers. Confused and curious, the woman gazed back inside the bars only to see Edward's face appear out of the darkness.

Her stomach immediately leapt from the shock of seeing him, but instantly fell just as fast as she realized the predicament he was in. The Captain was trapped at the bottom of the sea, and the crew was about to call it quits on recovering the air barrel. She needed to warn Adewale before anything worse happened.

Gazing at his features, the woman noticed the strain on his eyes and the look of tiredness taking over his form; he was losing oxygen and wearing down his body too much. Constance signaled that she needed to go back to the Jackdaw if she wanted to warn the crew, but Edward shook his head. He motioned for her to grasp her fingers around the bars and pull.

Wanting to protest, but knew better, the woman followed as ordered and did so without question as the blonde began forcing his feet against the metal. The bolts keeping the fencing in place began to loosen which cheered the Captain on. His lungs burned for the desire of fresh air, but he would have to make due with what he had. Looking back down through the opening, his veins chilled as he watched the snout of a Great White rise from the ridge behind the woman. Constance stared at him, perplexed by his notions as he signaled for her to swim away.

She did as she was told and disappeared from his sight, not noticing the shark below as she rose to the nearest barrel. Edward watched as the beast circled the bell, honing in on it like it was prey. He quickly resurfaced, took in the last bit of oxygen that was left and dove under to peer outside the barrel. The blonde hoped the woman wasn't foolish enough to come back down, but he was proven wrong as he saw her form reappear near the fencing. The shark didn't even bother detecting her presences as it continued to swim back and forth.

The Captain motioned toward the beast, but Constance ignored him as she signaled for him to continue hitting the metal. Growling in his throat, Edward kicked the bars in frustration, and after a few hits, he realized the woman was no longer pulling.

_Why would she-_

The blonde's thought's were interrupted when the Great White's snout made contact with the casing sending Edward against the other side of the container. The force of the shark freed the rim of the bell from the mud, tumbling the metal contraption onto its side. The beast instantly retreated, shaking its head to and fro to stop the pain from the impact.

Edward wasted no time during this opportunity to sneak past the injured shark and vanish inside another air barrel suspended to his right. The fresher air was welcoming to his lungs as he took in all the oxygen his body could take. His muscles relaxed at the thought of being free once more, but instantly tensed when he realized that his companion was no longer with him.

Diving back under, the blonde let his senses heighten causing the already dark depths to turn into oblivion as the creatures around him glowed in a strange aura. _Focus on Constance, _he chanted like a mantra, but the blue and white glows never changed to the prominent gold he sought. _Where is she? _

Edward cursed himself for being so reckless. It was always his fault that this woman was dragged into these dire situations, and although he could of avoided them, he chose to push away any pre-caution to do what he pleased.

The Great White's red aura finally finished thrashing around before circling the ridge below the Captain. The blonde remained still knowing that any rapid movement would alarm the beast to charge. Lowering his senses back to normal, Edward had to shake away the dizziness of the after effects before crawling back inside the barrel.

If it were just himself down in the water, he would have been able to easily sneak past the beast and head for the surface, but unfortunately, he dragged his crew down here with him.

The Captain drew in a deep breath and dived back under looking frantically for the missing woman. A school of Cero-Mackerels darted back and forth above Edward as though they were dancing, but the blonde paid no heed to their movements until they quickly vanished. Glancing around the basin, the Captain noticed that other forms of life had also disappeared out of sight. His eyes searched for the familiar hide of the shark, but it was no longer within range of the blonde's vision.

Activating his heightened senses once more, the beast's red aura was directly to his right as so was the gold shadow of Constance's presence. Panicking, Edward rushed forward, fearing the worst when red and gold collided. As the Captain drew closer, he deactivated his senses to observe the scene more closely, and was shocked at the image before him.

The woman appeared fine save for the gash up her arm that pooled a cloud of blood around her, but unlike the woman, the Great White thrashed his head to and fro in tremendous pain. Upon inspection, Edward noted the barnacle infested plank protruding from the slits of the shark's right gills. Constance's green eyes glowed within the darkness of the water as her attention turned toward the blonde. Propelling his way, she grabbed a hold of his wrist and pulled him upward into a near by air barrel.

Both pirates sucked in as much oxygen as their lungs could take upon entry, no longer worrying about the threat beyond the metal walls. The tiny spacing inside the barrel left the two with little room of separation, but neither of them cared at that moment in time.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Edward questioned harshly as his mind cleared from the recent fright.

Constance glared back with as much intensity as the Captain. "What was _I _thinking? You're the idiot who decided to jump overboard into shark infested waters alone, and you are asking _me _what I was thinking?"

"You could have been killed!"

"So could of any of the men who came down here looking for you! Maybe next time you decide to risk your life, you'll consider the possibility of harming others as well!"

Edward instantly shut his mouth at Constance's lingering words. He knew she had a point, and although his pride wanted to retort, he forced himself not to.

"How's your arm?" the blonde asked as he noted the water turning a slight pink.

"It's fine. The shark nicked me when I hit him with the piece of wood," the woman replied as she pulled the appendage from the water to examine it closely. The gash wasn't deep, but it extended from her knuckle to her elbow.

"You need to get back to the ship and get your arm bandaged," Edward stated, his expression serious.

"And what about you?" Constance questioned.

"I need to-"

"No!"

Constance's outburst threw Edward off, but he didn't let it show on his face. "No what?"

"You are not going back down there alone," she replied, her glare intensifying,

"And you expect me to let you go back down there with me?"

"Yes."

"You need to see the surgeon about your arm!"

"And you need a good kick to the head!"

The blonde growled in anger; he never had to deal with a woman this stubborn. "Why don't you just listen to orders?"

"Because you don't listen to advice."

Both pirates glared at one another; neither of them backing down until they had won. As the Captain searched for any weakness in the woman's eyes, any doubt that would win him the advantage, he instead saw a resemblance of his estranged wife within the woman. He realized their eyes were the same: strong and green like the grass of a meadow. Both as stubborn as mules, but unlike his former partner, Constance never left his side; no matter what.

Although the woman's face remained serious, Edward could not stop the smile from adorning his lips. Constance's expression changed from stern to confused as the Captain began to laugh heartily.

"Why are you so happy all the sudden?" the woman questioned.

Edward shook his head with the smile still on his face. "Nothing, love. Maybe you're right, let's go topside."

Genuinely confused about the blonde's actions, she didn't question his change of mind or attitude as she lead the way back under before propelling upward towards the Jackdaw.

X

The crew cheered and welcomed the two as they surfaced on the sky blue waters. Ropes were knotted and ready for their arrival allowing the Captain and woman to climb aboard with ease. Constance was the first to arrive and was instantly ushered by the surgeon to go below deck to have her arm checked and bandaged. Adewale and Rory easily lifted Edward over the railing and onto the deck where the eccentric crew awaited orders.

"Set sail for Havana, lads," the Captain ordered earning 'Ayes!' from the men.

The blonde lightly limped his way into his cabin where he instantly fell into the plush cushion of his chair. Adewale and Rory followed him inside and closed the cabin door behind them; both appeared quite frantic.

"What happened down there?" the quartermaster questioned, eyeing the Captain. His brown eyes lingered on the torn flesh of the blonde's ankle.

"Shark attack," the blonde replied uncorking the rum bottle on his desk. "He hit me when I went into the bell, and the next thing I know I'm stuck at the bottom of the sea with the barrel on top of me."

"What about the lass?" Rory inputted. "She was only supposed to go down there to help retrieve the bell."

"If it wasn't for her I would be dead, and although I want to scold you for putting her in harm's way, I think I should be thanking you for choosing her in the first place." Edward downed a fourth of the bottle before churning the liquid in his hand. "Have Hobbs in here after he is done attending to Constance's wounds. In the mean time, I want a charted course for Havana."

Both Rory and Ade glanced at one another, but didn't say anything more as they both exited the cabin; leaving the Captain alone to his thoughts. Digging into his sash, he pulled the golden coin from the safety of the cloth and examined the engravings on both sides. The design was definitely Spanish, but the cross in the center of it all is what really drew in his attention.

All the ships in the graveyard were cargo vessels, and the only evidence of trade was this lone piece of gold that held no symbol of currency throughout any of the islands.

The blonde sighed as he placed the coin on his desk and chugged the rest of the bottle down with one quick swig. His body was bent and tired, but he was still the Captain; he couldn't afford to find comfort. Forcing himself onto his feet, he trudged over to his abandoned coat and slowly redressed himself into his trademark clothing.

Once they were safely in Havana, he would rest, but for now, he had a crew to look after.


	19. The Secret Life of Edward Kenway

**My longest chapter yet. Woot!**

**Well, when I'm not working on this story, I find downtime in playing on my PS3 and talking with friends on Skype, teamspeak, raidcall, etc, so if any of you have questions, or want to talk about Black Flag, look up ZoraAngel on any mentioned sites above. **

**Anyway, I'm starting to work on Renegade again, my AltairxOC story, so if you are interested, go take a peek.**

**Also, I would like to mention that this is a Rated M story for a reason. I'm not going to say when, but there might be some future lemon coming up, and I don't want to hear complaints about this story being too graphic. I will repeat this message again when the time comes, but I'm just putting up a notice just in case. **

**Anyway, Enjoy.**

Chapter 19: The Secret Life of Edward Kenway

The night had just begun when the Jackdaw docked on the outskirts of Havana, and just like the first time Constance arrived in the Spanish province, the crew instantly made port to spend their earnings on women and rum. The brunette sighed as she leaned against the foremast's pole, watching as the last of the men disappeared onto the docks and into the taverns. She wanted to join in on the merriment, but she found herself feeling otherwise as her eyes scanned the starry sky.

The night had called for a rare occasion, something she had only witnessed once in her life: the bright speckles of the light burst through the darkness creating a storm of falling stars. The woman watched on in amazement as nature entertained her spectators with beauty beyond compare.

Constance had always imagined the life a bird would experience when in flight, but now her mind traveled beyond the trees and clouds, above mountains and even the Gods themselves to a dark void that was lit with an endless amount of lanterns that were too much to count.

The woman dreamt that the world beyond the Gods would be the true utopia that the world sought. Maybe there were other beings up there, one who didn't know of war or famine. There was no such thing as a slave and masters, and everyone lived in harmony as equals. Oh how she wished it were true.

The woman instantly stopped her thoughts before laughing at her dream. The idea of a utopia was foolish. Mankind had too much freewill, too much chaos storming around in their heads to allow for such an imaginative place.

Sighing once more, the woman let her eyes linger on the falling lights letting her troubled mind forget about the past events. The voyage from the ship graveyard to Havana had only taken two days, but in that time, both Edward and the crew had paid little attention to her existence. Even Rory's acknowledgment had lessened. What had she done to cause such behavior?

The sound of doors opening sent the woman's attention to the threshold of the Captain's cabin. Down below, said blonde stumbled from his quarters as he held back the urge to limp. His leg had yet to fully heal, and his stubborn actions of continuing to sail rather than rest was hindering his recovery.

Constance watched as the weaponless Captain exited the Jackdaw and made port. Unlike the rest of the crew who went north to the Kraken's Lair, Edward began to make his way south into the villas of the Spanish province. Curious by his secretive nature, the brunette glided down the rope of the mast and landed softly on the deck.

Her footsteps remained light while her breath stayed steady as she tailed the blonde through the colorful homes and stores of Havana's thriving town. Although the night usually ended the daily activity of the citizens, whores and drunks found this time to be the perfect hour for enjoyment. Inns and taverns bustled with loud drunks who, after a few drinks, would stumble out into the streets with their affair of the night.

Edward bypassed every man and woman he crossed as he ventured deeper into the heart of the city. Constance kept a few paces behind him, trying her best not to stand out in the crowd. A confused drunk stumbled into her path as the blonde disappeared behind the corner of a building. The woman nudged the alcoholic out of her way before pressing forward, but when she entered into the street the Captain had turned onto, he was gone. Slowly making her way down the road, Constance gazed into every alleyway and intersection, but the blonde had vanished without a trace.

Muttering a curse, the woman picked a random alleyway and followed the building, hoping to catch up with the Captain.

X

Edward chuckled to himself as he watched Constance stumble blindly throughout the city looking for him. Had she gazed up at the rooftops, she would have instantly noticed him, but her eyes remained forward only allowing her to perceive the streets as the only way to get around.

Shaking his head, the blonde traveled along the adobe tiles as he pushed toward his destination. His mind needed answers, and he knew the man who could provide them.

Juan Vasquez, a merchant of elegant taste, ran a shop with the best merchandise in town, and if you were interested in more exotic goods, his _backroom _was the place to find it. His store was legal in terms of regulations, but only the true outlaws knew about his _under the table _bargains.

Edward knocked twice on the maroon, polished door hidden behind the luscious plants of Juan's garden. The shop was located on the busiest street Havana had to offer, but the back entrance was secluded within a small plaza blocked off by buildings and fences. The surrounding _homes _also belonged to the merchant, but he passed them off as being owned by a landlord by the name of Antonio.

Sea-colored eyes met dark brown as the door opened fully to reveal a middle-aged Spaniard who held a meaty shape making him appear fat rather than muscular. The merchant gave a toothy grin as his hand extended out to the blonde.

"Edward, my old friend, what am I to do for you?" Juan asked as the two men shook.

"I have something I need to know the origin of," the Captain replied as he returned the smile.

"Of course, please do come in." Although the merchant would sell the blonde out if it meant protecting his own neck, he was still the most humble in his welcoming.

Edward followed the Spaniard inside, closing the door softly behind him. The study was littered with shelves filled with books and business ledgers while a desk adorned the center of the room stacked with papers that threatened to fall to the carpeted ground.

"I must apologize for the mess, so much business as of late," Juan stated as he cleaned off a chair for the Captain.

"Been dealing with both sides of the fleets, I see," Edward smirked.

The merchant laughed aloud as he poured a tankard of rum for the blonde before making himself a glass. "You know me so well. The Spanish may be my flesh and blood when concerning my heritage, but they will soon lose the fight to keep their lands as the English and French continue to conquer ports. It's too good of an opportunity to pass up."

The Captain's lip curled into a smile as he sipped at his drink. The Spaniard was as selfish as a pirate, but not as loyal. "And what of your _homes? _Business still fairing well for them?"

It was the merchant's turn to smirk as he gazed out his study window at the light coming from an open aperture. "Good business indeed. Since my customers are normally city guards and representatives of the Crown, I no longer have to worry about hiding the secrets lingering behind the walls."

"I guess you take to blackmailing?"

"Oh no, not at all. However, these men fear that I might, so business is never ruined. Anyway, enough about my life, what was this _thing _you wished for me to see."

The blonde produced the shilling-sized gold piece from his coat and placed it amongst the paper's on the merchant's desk. With a stoic expression, Juan reached for the coin and examined the engravings on both sides.

"You're in luck, I happened upon this same medallion a few weeks ago," said the Spaniard as he handed the coin back to Edward. "His name was Reginald Copperfield; British I do believe. He was a…unique character. He spoke of a silver treasure that I might have had, but I did not carry such an artifact."

"Did he say anything about it? And why would he have this?" The Captain questioned, observing the gold in the candle light.

"All he asked was if I had a silver sphere that might have glowed. When I gave him the opportunity to search the shop, he couldn't find what he was looking for. As for the medallion, he called it a new _currency _that would soon go into effect. It was to be a part of the _design for this new world." _

Edward knew those words all too well. The Templars were setting their plans in motion already even though they had yet to conquer the Caribbean like they had hoped to. If this were true, what were thinking?

"Did he mention anything else?"

"Not at all," Juan rose his tankard to his lips as his eyes lingered on the coin in the blonde's hands. "When he gave up his search, he just left. Such a pig. I had to reorganize the shop and clean half my wares."

Edward stood from his seat and handed the tankard back to its owner. "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure. That bastard needs a little _attention, _wouldn't you say?"

The Captain smirked at the merchant's decency to avoid the language of the outlaws. "I'll put in a word for you when I find him."

"You do not want to stay? A lovely red head has missed your company since your last visit."

"Sorry, but I need my rest, and you know I'm not a man to visit the same woman's bed twice."

"I could arrange for another beauty then. She prefers doing all the work." As tempting as the offer sounded, the blonde refused while taking his leave. Juan followed shortly behind him as they exited the study and into the garden. "Visit some time. I'll even provide a woman and a bottle of rum free of charge on your next stay."

Edward nodded before bidding the Spaniard farewell. With more questions clouding his mind, the Captain was on the verge of searching for the mysterious British man, but found himself on his way back to the Jackdaw. First he needed to rest if he wanted to successfully find who he was looking for.

X

Constance growled in frustration as she ended up back on the same street once more. She didn't want to admit that she was lost, but her pride was begging her to push it aside and ask a nearby citizen for directions. Taking in a deep breath, she tried once more to find the port so that she could be done for the night; however, her wandering only lead her farther from her destination.

"Are you lost?"

The woman's breath hitched in her throat at the familiar voice. Pivoting on her heel, her green eyes met blue that pierced through the darkness. "Liam?" she questioned taking a step forward to study the tall figure leaning against the side of a tobacco shop. His perfect smile lit up the night causing the woman to rush to him, tackling the boy in the process.

"Didn't think you would miss me that much," Liam laughed as the woman hugged him tighter.

"You have no idea," muffled Constance through the boy's shirt. After a few more moments of taking in his presences, the woman stood back to examine him causing her to notice the stub that used to be his left arm. "What happened?" she asked shocked at the missing appendage.

Looking down at the stub that ended at his elbow, Liam scratched the back of his neck trying to find the right words to describe what happened. "Well…I-uh…Well, after stopping Luther, and the Captain found it in good interest to relieve me of duty, I made it here to Havana, and well….some things got…difficult."

"Difficult how?" the woman questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Too many rebellions since the Templars are taking control."

"Templars? Like what Luther was?" She was utterly lost and confused.

"You didn't get my letter?"

Red burned on the woman's cheeks as her attention drifted toward a stack of crates. "I can't read…"

Somewhat shocked, the boy laughed off his own stupidity for not taking into consideration that she was not like him; she never had the luxury of an education. "I really should have planned ahead for that. Well, come with me. We can speak about it in private."

Taking her left hand in his right, Liam lead the way through the maze until hey reached the poor district of Havana. The shacks were more spread out than the elegant buildings of the port, but the woman came to realize the only reason why it was so was due to the spaces being collapsed homes.

The former pirate stopped right outside of a beaten villa that should have been in a ghost story rather than reality. The windows were shattered by rocks while the roof was caved in to reveal the moonlight to the dust-covered living space.

"This is where you live?" questioned the brunette, eyeing the place with hidden disgust. Even her former slave quarters was not this badly damaged.

"Yes and no," the boy responded, moving toward a bookshelf with no books and broken shelves. He effortlessly pushed the apparatus aside revealing a less than perfect hole in the wall.

He ushered Constance inside before climbing in as well, and recovered the entrance with the shelf. Taking her hand once more, he made his way through the darkness while brushing his stub against the tunnel wall to help with navigation.

"How far is this place?" Constance asked as minutes passed.

"Not too far. The entrance was made there to prevent anyone from finding the bureau."

As the two rounded a corner, light beckoned at an opening at the end of the tunnel. Their paces quickened until they had finally entered the room, letting the lanterns and moonlight grace them with their presences. The woman stopped and stared in awe at the sight of the bureau. It was located inside a cove bristling with clear blue water, tents, and a bamboo structured building on stilts. A wooden deck suspended over the water where a cave beneath the surface connected the cove to Havana's harbor.

"This is much better than the villa," Constance muttered as she gazed up at the opening in the ceiling.

"It's beautiful, no?"

The blue-eyed boy tugged at the woman's hand asking for her to follow him across the docks and onto the sandy shores where a fire spit awaited their arrival. Signs of other human beings lingered within the facility, but no tracks indicated recent activity.

"Are there others here with you?" Constance questioned, glancing around the tents.

"No one permanent," the boy replied as he lit the fire and took a seat next to the woman.

"Why are you hiding anyway? Does it have to do with the men who took your arm?"

Liam glanced down at the emptiness that used to be his left hand. "I have so much explaining to do, and I don't even know where to start."

"Then start from the beginning." Constance smiled, reassuring the blue-eyed boy that he made the right choice to bring her here.

"That's an even longer story, but after what you've been through, you deserve it."

And thus Liam spoke of the tales handed down to him by his masters as Constance listened carefully while hanging on to each word. The boy narrated the long, harsh life of Altair, whose father died to save Masyaf, pushing the young boy to become an Assassin. Then he spoke of Altair's rise to become a Master Assassin where his ego flared to disregard the creed since he felt above it.

The woman was wrapped into Liam's words as Altair's story ventured into his trials to regain his rank after being forced to become a novice once more. Her heart reached out to Malik, the assassin's only friend who had despised him for a brief moment in history.

"Malik and I have something in common now." The boy broke away from his tale as he grazed his fingers over the stub. "Seems history does repeat itself."

"What do you mean?" Constance asked.

"Malik was my ancestor."

The woman felt even more compassion for Liam as he continued his story. De Sable's death did not surprise her, but the fact that he held a woman as a stand-in to fight for him did. Strong women did not exist in stories since it was considered inaccurate to do so, but Constance wanted to hear more about her.

"What ever happed to Maria?" the brunette questioned.

"I haven't gotten that far yet," Liam responded.

"So she stays in Altair's life?"

The blue-eyed boy laughed before he kept going. After the Master Assassin reclaimed his title, he vowed to learn all that he must about the Apple of Eden to understand its secrets, but first he had to make sure the Templars were taken care of. Thus, he found his way to Acre only to meet with Maria once more who was trying to flee to Cyprus with the rest of her comrades.

Constance loved to hear romantic stories about a warrior and the love of his life. She especially preferred Maria too; she wasn't the princess that every tale had. No, this woman was also a warrior.

"And after all that mess, after killing all the Templars that remained, Altair and Maria married?"

Liam nodded, stroking the fire.

"And they lived together as a happy family?"

Altair's story was far from over. The Apple, even after years of study, drove him and the assassins into devastation. Abbas, a former friend of the Master Assassin, had destroyed all that the past leaders had built, killed Altair's youngest son, and beheaded Malik. All for the sake of taking the Piece of Eden for himself.

In rage, Altair had attacked Abbas, but the Apple had caused him to sentence his own wife to death. In fear of Masyaf's leader taking the artifact, Altair and his eldest son fled the city, disappearing for the next twenty years.

When he finally returned, Masyaf couldn't have been worse. Assassins were no longer being trained, and the creed had basically become nonexistent. The citizens of the city were fed up with Abbas' lack of leadership, and when Altair made his strike, they in turn followed behind him. The tyrant's death was swift and after another decade of trial and error, the assassins had flourished once more.

"After all that happened, he was honorable until the end," Liam stated as he gazed up at the starry night.

"If the assassins used to be such a large guild, how come they are not around so much anymore?" Constance questioned like a child would to their parent.

"The last decade of Altair's life was spent, not only rebuilding, but improving the ways of the assassins. Masyaf was a symbol of ego, and stood out to their enemies, so he instructed that they travel to the cities and hide in plain sight. Assassins are a blade in the crowd, not fortress-dwelling soldiers."

"Like the Templars?"

"Like the Templars," he copied.

"So you keep to yourself in places like this-" Constance gestured at the cove. "-and hunt in the busy crowds of the cities?"

"That's the idea."

"What happened to the Brotherhood though? Even if you spread out across the world, there are not many assassins protecting the people."

Liam's smile fell as he began to stir the fire once more. "Over time, the Templars discovered our ways, and began to hunt us in large numbers. Since we usually travel alone, we are easy targets for their ambushes."

"Why don't you recruit more to your cause?"

"The assassins, for generations, kept their order exclusive to their families. Ever since Ezio Auditore, Altair's great, great grandson, more variety of men and women with different backgrounds came into the Brotherhood. Europe and Asia have the biggest orders since their governments are older and more people suffer from their tyrannies; thus allowing for more able bodied men to jump at the chance to make a difference." Liam laughed as he took his eyes off the fire and gazed at Constance. "This world is young, the people here don't want to interfere themselves in something that has a small living percentage."

It made sense to the woman why that would be. Many people traveling to the new world were seeking new lives with open opportunities for luxurious benefits. To give up that dream in order to run for the rest of your life, it was foolish.

"What is it the Templars truly seek?" Constance asked, not really knowing what either organization actually sought.

"Peace," Liam replied as he tossed a piece of wood into the dying blaze.

"Peace? Then why do you fight? Shouldn't you be working together if you both want the same goal?"

"Their means of obtaining it threatens the lives and freedoms of the innocent," the boy replied with his voice drawing deeper. It was the first time she had heard him speak so viciously. "Although we strive for the same goal, the assassins find hope in freedom, even if it is an invitation to chaos."

"And how do the Templars plan to make peace?"

"By taking away man's freewill and controlling their lives. They slaughter those they see unfit, and destroy homes and villages if those people don't obey the words of their Gods."

"And that's why you joined the Jackdaw? To stop the Templar rat who was about to kill Edward?"

"Not kill. The Templars need him, at least until they found what they are looking for, then he is expendable again. It was hard enough trying to convince him to join the assassins, I highly doubt he will join _them _anytime soon."

"He's an assassin?"

Liam nodded, chuckling at the woman's dumbfound expression. "He's not fully part of the Brotherhood, but he was trained by us, and does a few tasks when he finds them in his benefit."

"But why Edward? Are there not other men the Templars could take instead?"

"Kenway is…special. Whether the assassins like it or not, that man has a gift, and until he realizes its potential, we can do anything but wait."

The woman glanced down at her folded hands resting on her lap as her fingers twirled between one another. She had heard most of this from Luther, but at the time, she didn't understand a word of it. Everything was beginning to make sense.

Liam nudged her slightly, ushering for her to stand. "C'mon, I should get you back to the Jackdaw before the Captain comes looking for you."

Constance smiled at the blue-eyed boy as she took his hand. "And if I say I want to stay?"

Liam laughed as he helped the woman to her feet. "Another time perhaps, but for now, I want you to stay with Kenway. It's not safe in Havana right now."

X

_On board the Jackdaw_

Edward relaxed against the crate of ropes and pulleys as he watched the falling stars shoot across the sky. He brought the half-empty bottle of rum to his lips while his clouded mind released all its worries thanks to the alcohol. He gave off a huff knowing that he was going to need more booze soon if he planned on getting drunk.

Footsteps boarding the Jackdaw brought his attention toward the petit woman climbing the stairs to the helm. "Get lost, love?" he smirked playfully.

Constance pushed his question aside as she leaned against the railing next to him, a smile tugged at her lips. "And what has you getting drunk? I thought you were going to rest in your quarters once we made port."

"Aye, but I sleep better with alcohol in me."

"You also seem to sleep better with a woman in your bed."

Edward's smile grew as he gazed at the half-Indian. "Not in the mood to find a woman at this hour, unless you want to take the offer."

Constance rolled her eyes at his proposal before stealing the blonde's bottle away from him. With his actions sluggish, he didn't fight back as she took a long swig before handing back the rum.

"You are in a very…odd mood," Edward stated as he brought the bottle to his lips.

"Am I? Or are you too drunk to realize I'm acting normal?"

The blonde watched as she tried to hold a stoic face, but the smile popped back into place. _What happened to her while I was gone? _Edward thought.

"You are definitely happy about something," he retorted.

Constance shrugged him off as she pushed herself to stand. "Well, it's late and I'm tired. I'll see you in the morning."

She didn't wait to hear him reply as she descended the stairs onto the quarterdeck before making her way to the forecastle.

Utterly confused by her behavior, the blonde downed the rest of his drink, and followed Constance's example, and called it a night. He had too much to do to be worrying about the woman, but he couldn't help but feel the need to investigate.

Shaking his head, he told himself to focus. First Copperfield, and if he had the time, he would see what Constance was up to.


	20. Lying Low

**Writer's block is the worst thing ever!**

**I am sorry. I am so, so sorry for being late with this chapter. Not only did I have writer's block, but work had me on all hours of the day plus fall classes for college just started back up. I can't tell you how many times I started writing, and found myself throwing away the ideas. **

**I do have good news though. I am in the process of working on the next chapter, and hope to either have that posted today or tomorrow. **

**Also, one last thing: How do you guys feel about me writing another EdwardXOC story? I have a few ideas, some of them AU and others staying within the 18th century. If you are interested, please do tell me.**

**Anyway, Enjoy.**

Chapter 20: Lying Low

A throng of men and women gathered outside the oak doors with their voices chanting over the ringing of bells while their fists beat at the reinforced fortress. Soldiers garbed in yellow rushed to stop the riot, but were immediately overpowered by the growing number of civilians. The politicians inside flinched at each knock, praying to their God in hopes that he would save them from those whom they oppressed to this breaking point.

The Captain of the Jackdaw smirked from under his hood as he watched his work in action. Ever since the Templars took their control over the Spanish government in this new world, the people had become irritated with the overburdening _protection _they had been promised. The taxes increased, and the laws were becoming more unfair as the days passed. All it took was a spark to light the fire that would storm a revolution.

More soldiers poured onto the streets, leaving the rooftops empty of activity. Edward took this opportunity to leap across the tiled buildings and into an open window on the top floor of the cathedral-like fortress. Just as the blonde thought, all the corridors and studies were empty save for one.

Rafael Rodriquez, second in command under the Templar grandmaster in Havana, briskly tossed documents and ledgers into the brown leather case on his desk. His office was the largest in the former church building with enough room to fit three carriages. Exquisite paintings and sculptures filled the room while exotic East Indies rugs lined the floor. The Templar paid good coin for the richest of lives, but paid so little heed to those providing it.

The Spanish official halted in his hast to glance up at the blonde leaning casually against the doorframe. Edward smirked at Rafael's expression of fear as he backed himself against the opposite wall.

"How did you get inside? Guards!" The Spaniard's gluttonous form trembled under his gold-embroidered, red robes.

"The guards won't come. They are much too busy with the commotion your lack duty has caused," said the Captain, eyeing the obese, black-haired man amusingly.

"What do you want, Assassin?" Rafael was on the brink of tears. "I can give you money, or would you rather have my treasures? Go ahead and take them all! Just please spare me!"

Edward rolled his eyes in disgust. What had started out as humorous had become pathetic. "I wasn't here for your life, but your sad display is testing my blade." The blonde pushed himself off the door and took one slow step at a time forward. "Now, I want to know where Reginald Copperfield is hiding, and I know you keep tabs on all members of the order here in Havana, so I will make this simple: tell me where he is or I will cut off your lips and feed 'em to ya." The Captain sat down in the plush, guest chair and made himself comfortable with his propped up on the grand mahogany desk.

"No one know where he is, not even I," Raphael replied with a stutter. "That man is a loose cannon to our order, so we don't bother trying to tie him to a leash."

Edward smirked inwardly; this man was too easy to get information from. "If I find out that you are lying or withholding information, you might as well slit your own throat now."

"I am not!" the Spaniard cried out while on the verge on pissing himself. "Th-there might be one place he could of gone. Copperfield purchased a plantation in Kingston before he disappeared. He could be there, but we never found the need to investigate."

The Captain's smirk grew onto his lips before he stood from the chair. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" The sarcasm dripped from his lips as he pulled the flintlock from his back right holster and blew the Spaniard's brains across the back wall.

The blonde didn't even consider a hasty retreat knowing that no one could locate the gunshot. There were too many of them outside, so what would be the problem with one more going off? Edward gave the Templar one last look before taking a leap of faith out the window and into a pile of hay being transported in a wagon. He waited until the carriage was out of the vicinity of the cathedral before cautiously exiting the hiding spot.

The Captain did not heed in his tracks until the faded wooden sign of the Kraken's lair became visible in his line of sight. Adewale greeted him at a table in the back of the bar where very few patrons liked to sit. It was the quietest part of the tavern, but it also reeked due to the pig pen right out a window located in the corner.

"So did you find our _friend?_" Ade asked as the blonde took his seat from across the dark-skinned man.

"Copperfield wasn't there, and it seems no one knows where he is either," Edward replied as he stole the rum bottle in front of Adewale.

"Then where does that leave us?" the quartermaster questioned, snatching his bottle from the blonde's grip.

"The Templars are having a nasty riot on their hands, so that should keep them busy. As for Raphael, well-you can say his wall was repainted."

Brown eyes met blue and the dark man's lip curled upward. "You actually killed him?" Edward smirked in reply making Adewale laugh aloud. "Now that will definitely keep them busy."

"Copperfield may be in Kingston," said the blonde out of the blue.

"Stop right there," Ade retorted placing the glass container back on the table. "You want to keep tracking this guy? He has been no threat, and he is not even considered a Templar! Reginald is a peddler for fine treasures, not some terrifying minister."

Edward placed his elbows on the table and pressed the tip of his nose against his hands. "Over a dozen cargo ships traveling from Havana to Tortuga suddenly go missing. There were no more than two bodies down in that ridge, doesn't that seem strange to you?"

Ade nodded as he pressed the bottle of rum to his lips. He chugged a quick swig and placed the glass container back on the table. "And you think that it's not just a coincidence? That the gold coin might be a link to those ship sinking?"

"You don't think this odd at all?"

Adewale sighed. "I find it strange, yes, but what if it's not Copperfield? You could of questioned the others; they might of known something."

"I don't think so, I just have the gut feeling that Copperfield is behind all this."

"Then leave it be. The man is no immediate threat and there is no sense in risking the crew's lives to stop him when his life holds no value."

Edward gazed at the sloshing liquid on the table as his mind drew a web of the recent events. Templar or not, Copperfield had gold, which could help with upgrading the Jackdaw or be given to his men. Adewale was right that he would be risking too much for something that might not be true.

Sighing, sea-colored eyes stared into brown as a frown formed on the Captain's lips. "Fine, we will do it your way."

The dark-skinned quartermaster forced back a smile and downed the rest of his drink. "And what are we to do now, Captain?"

"I propose we stay out at sea for a while. The locals are not too happy with the way the government is running things, and getting caught up in this mess would be too much trouble."

"So you are saying-"

Edward nodded. "I want every man ready to depart within the hour."

X

_On board the Jackdaw…two hours later_

"We're leaving?" Constance questioned as she shoved past a fellow crew member to reach the Captain.

Edward glanced over his shoulder at her, but did not stop walking as he made his way to the helm of the ship. "Isn't that what I just announced?"

"But so soon? We just made port!" The woman tried to remain calm, but her frantic nature was slipping into her voice.

"It's the pirate life, love. You have to be ready to leave on a moment's notice."

Constance bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from protesting. She did volunteer for a position on board, the least she could do was honor it. Slipping through the tangled mess of working men, the woman reached the foremast's post and climbed its towering structure.

Her thoughts strayed to Liam, and if he would worry since she was unable to tell him goodbye. Constance shook her head trying to rid of the idea. Liam was resourceful; he would notice the ship's disappearance and know that they had left, but her heart ached at the thought of not being able to at least bid him farewell.

The billowing white sails caught wind, and the Jackdaw ventured out into the open waters. Constance relaxed against the foremast to watch the dolphins following the vessel from below. The need to rig was unnecessary seeing as how the Captain wanted full speed, so this left most of the crew with the free time to enjoy the sea.

Huffing in defeat, the woman let her mind wander into the clouds as the Jackdaw furthered away from Havana, and away from Liam.

X

_Caribbean Sea…a week later_

Night fell over the members of the Jackdaw as the ship made anchor on a lone island's cove. The steep hills and shallow waters were perfect for cover if any Spanish or British fleets dared to attack, but their man-o-wars would never be able to venture from the depths to strike.

Very few of the men remained on deck, finishing their bottles of rum while the rest called it a night. The Captain was among the few, and was just as inebriated. His fingers sluggishly fumbled for his fifth bottle before he placed the glass container to his lips. His sea-colored eyes drooped in tiredness, but he fought to keep them open.

"You really should slow down on the rum. Need to save at least a little for the rest of the crew," Adewale joked as he took a seat against the railing opposite of the blonde.

Edward smirked, but the smile instantly fell from his face. "How's she doing?"

Adewale's face fell as well as he rubbed his bald head with his hand. "Her shoulder is fine, and the rest of the cuts have been treated. Only the tip of the blade pierced the skin, but she seems more shaken up than anything."

The blonde nodded and chugged the rest of his drink. The last few days had been smooth sailing save for one storm that they easily by-passed. Edward had lowered his guard for only an hour to let the crew enjoy the sea's merriment when a British man-o-war shot the first round.

_Cannonballs ripped through the wood as though it was parchment, taking two pirates with it to the sea. Constance had been sitting on the deck having a drink with some of the crew as they gambled at a game of dice when the shots were fired. One of the cannonballs had splintered the railing next to her sending wood crashing over the decks. _

_The blonde Captain rushed to the helm of the ship ordering to raise anchor and ready the cannons. The crew was on the brink of panic as a frigate also sailing under the British flag joined the fray and unleashed hell onto the unsuspecting vessel. The man-o-war circled from a distance, firing large round shots while the frigate moved in closer. _

_The crew had finally raised the anchor, but the enemy ship had already closed in. The frigate swept in from the port bow and paralleled with the Jackdaw. Men garbed in red coats tossed hooks and ropes over the railing and climbed on board as more shots from the man-o-war soared across the ocean and into the Jackdaw's hull. Steel clashed with steel for domination as pirates versed the British. _

_With a flintlock in both hands, Edward fell two redcoats climbing over the railing at the aft of the ship. Adewale had disappeared into the mess billowing on the quarterdeck, where the rest of the crew fought to maintain control. The blonde had been in tight situations before, but the situation was already out of hand before the battle had even begun. Taking a deep breath, he played the plan out in his head like a mantra: first kill the bastards boarding his vessel, then kill the other bastards trying to sink it. _

_A woman's cry in pain echoed off the planks of the Jackdaw, snapping Edward's attention toward the Indian clutching her shoulder in pain. Her back was forced against the main mast where two soldiers cornered her. Her blade shook in her trembling hands, but no tears brimmed on her eyes nor did she show fear. She was afraid; however, she wasn't going to allow them the satisfactory of knowing it._

_The blonde gritted his teeth as he fought the urge to go save her; he needed to worry about the crew as a whole. Edward bolted down the steps to the quarterdeck, pulling out the two swords strapped to his waist as he did so. The first redcoat fell to the ground griping his sliced throat while another didn't have the time to scream as he died instantly from the stab to his heart. The Captain heard his crew cheer in triumph as more of the soldiers fell, and soon the first battle had been won, and the frigate dipped below the ocean's surface and out of sight. _

_Edward wasted no time returning to the helm and ordering his crew to their posts. The blonde noticed a few of his men within the dead, but he pushed the thought of Constance being a part of them aside as he steered the Jackdaw on a straight course toward the man-o-war. Adewale joined back at the Captain's side and the crew rushed to ready the cannons for the upcoming naval combat. _

The battle was short and victories, but it still held its consequences. Edward rubbed at his temples to soothe the growing migraine as the day's events flashed before his eyes before fading away with each sip of alcohol. He had screwed up and let his guard down, and because of that, he sent good men to an early death. Adewale watched as the Captain groaned in pain before falling back against the ship's railing for support.

"Were your wounds treated?" the quartermaster questioned as he studied the blonde's behavior.

"Was patched up not too long ago," replied Edward as he fished for another rum bottle from the open crate to his left. "I wanted those with more severe wounds looked after first."

Ade's expression changed to disbelief. "You almost bled to death."

The Captain smirked as he held up his new bottle in a cheer. "But I'm still alive."

The dark-skinned male snatched the container from the sluggish blonde who in return produced a glare. "Since everything is alright, you should get some rest. I think there is enough alcohol in your body to have you sleeping well tonight."

Adewale stood from deck, taking the bottle of rum with him as he made his way to the barracks. Edward cursed the man inwardly, but he couldn't help but laugh at him. The two were the same, but different at the same time. Almost like brothers. The Captain chuckled at the thought knowing that he was only thinking this way because of the alcohol.

Stumbling to his feet, Edward managed to compose himself long enough to make it safely down the stairs, but as soon as his feet hit the quarterdeck, his mind ticked back and forth on whether to call it a night, or check on a _certain_ crew member. As much as the blonde forced himself to go to bed, his legs refused to listen and lead him to the hatch on the forecastle deck.

As Edward opened the door to Constance's cabin, the first thing he noticed was that her lantern had yet to be extinguished. Closing the door behind him, the Captain trusted his senses to prevent himself from toppling down the stairs as he ventured further into the quarters.

The half-Indian woman, to Edward's surprise, was fully awake and sitting on her bed while her back leaned against the far wall. She only wore a long-sleeved shirt that stopped at her mid-thigh while her blanket covered most of her legs. The bandage covering her injured shoulder was barely visible past the neckline of the shirt, but the rest of the scars and scratches were in places that were not hard to miss.

A small wound, no longer than the length of her thumb, carved through her left eyebrow and traveled upwards onto her forehead. Another scar adorned the side of her neck while small nicks covered her arms and legs.

The woman didn't even acknowledge Edward's presence, but instead kept her sights on the sheathed blade leaning against the drawer. The blonde pressed forward toward Constance slowly trying not to spook her more than she already was. Although he didn't want to believe it, he had seen her kill those two men; the innocence that he always saw in her was gone.

"How are you feeling?" Edward asked softly as he stood at the foot of the bed. The woman never took her eyes off the location of the blade; although, the blonde was now standing in her way. He could see the red in her eyes, but no signs of fallen tears marred her cheeks. She was being strong, but how long was it going to last?

"Constance?" he tried again, but she still didn't budge. The blonde sighed heavily before circling around the edge of the bed, and took a seat next to the brunette. "You can not let the deaths of others bother you. In this world, you must kill to survive."

"Those were not the first men I've killed," Constance finally spoke, the tears threatening to fall.

Confused, he awkwardly placed a hand on her shoulder to console her, but he feared he would make the situation worse. Edward could hunt, fight, shoot, climb, and sail better than any man in the Caribbean; however, he could never find the right words or actions to comfort someone in need. It was one of the main reasons his first marriage ended in disaster.

"What are you talking about, love?" he asked, choosing his words wisely.

The woman bit her lip as she swallowed back the lump forming in her throat. "When Luther took me prisoner-I-uh-" She closed her eyes and took in a heavy breath; she wasn't about to let the tears be free. "I killed the two men who were working with him so I could get away. I stabbed one, and strangled the other. I knew pirates killed, it's what they do, but I didn't think I would have to-at least not so soon-"

Constance buried her head into her curled knees as she wrapped her arms around her head. Her body trembled, but she remained strong as she fought back the urge to let the tears flow. Edward was at a loss of what to do. Re-establishing a man's mental health was easy, a woman's, not so much.

"They needed to die," Edward spoke softly. "Men like them have been corrupted to believe that the cause they serve will bring justice and peace to this world. When in reality, it is the complete opposite. You know this better than I."

"What about the pirate's cause?" Constance questioned as she pulled her head up to gaze at the Captain. "You say that you kill to protect yourself, but those men would say the same had it been us attacking them."

"There is a difference between us and those men." Edward's voice deepened with every word. "Yes, we are outlaws. Yes, we pillage and plunder, but no, we don't just conquer and enslave like those men do. We fight as rebels so that we never have to bend our knees again."

Green eyes adverted from Edward's sea colored ones to gaze at the filthy sheets. "Will it get easier? The killings?"

The blonde nodded as he maneuvered to sit in front of the woman. "In time. Most men grow cold after so many deaths that they kill without question, but as for us, the men of the Jackdaw, we keep our hearts focused on the prize. Shamelessly killing is not our style."

Constance raised her attention to the Captain. "May I ask about your first kill?"

Edward smirked before lying down on the bed while his legs dangled off the edge. "I was almost twenty years old when I became a privateer for the British Royal Navy. I was only a sailor for no less than three months when we were attacked by a galleon here in the West Indies. I was a barrel monkey and rigger under Benjamin Hornigold with barely any practice with a blade, and was the smallest of the crew." The blonde chuckled at the memory. "It was raining…storming really. Our sails had caught fire, and we had lost too many men in the cannon exchanges. I had been thrown from the masts and into the raging waters. I climbed onto the nearest ship, thinking it was ours, but I when I finally realized where I was, they were already holding flintlocks to my head."

"How did you get away?"

"Lady Luck was on my side. The main mast snapped under the storm's pressure making most of them jump overboard for their lives. I, instead, swung back over to our vessel, and finished the fight."

"And that's when you killed your first man?"

The smile on Edward's lips faded as the memory performed like a play within his mind. "I had just made it back on board and grabbed the nearest sword lying around. A red coat saw me trying to arm myself, so he rushed trying to kill me before I could join in on the fight. My reflexes knocked the blade from his hands, and out of instinct, I shoved my sword into his heart; it killed him instantly."

"How did you feel after it was over?"

"The same way you are feeling now." The blonde gazed up into the woman's green eyes and smiled. "Your first kill either strengthens you, or will inevitably put you into an early grave."

Constance's mind reeled through the images of the two men working with Luther. Their deaths haunted her, but she never let them get to her like the ones she just killed. Maybe there was hope for her yet.

The blonde Captain stretched on the bed before pulling himself to his feet. He turned to gaze at the woman and gave her a comforting smile. "Will you be alright?"

Constance returned the smile and nodded. "Your words helped."

Edward's lips formed into a smirk as he studied the woman. "Sometimes words are all you need."


	21. Anne Bonny

**Ooooohhhh, looks like I'm getting really close to a certain chapter. -hint hint- -wink wink- -wink hint- -hint wink-**

**Anyway, yes the title does speak for itself, and yes, I'm getting really close to a certain chapter that plays a big part to the development of the story, but I really felt that I should add in a catalyst for the fire. Who better than **_**the**_** legendary female pirate? (whom I actually don't really care for in the history of woman because she sounded more like a pompous prick who had daddy issues).**

**Also, before I had over the enjoy: I started jotting down story ideas for a second EdwardXOC story, and so far I have one I think I might be interested in accomplishing, and another I'm just 'eh' about. If anyone out there has story ideas that they would like to read, don't be afraid to send them my way, I would like to know what you guys want to see.**

**Wait, one more thing: Someone please write an EdwardXOC fic that is updated on a normal basis. It's kind of saddening to be the only active writer, but not be able to read any. **

**Ok, here it is: Enjoy.**

Chapter 21: Anne Bonny

_Two miles off the coast of Nassau…Three weeks later_

The tarnished, black boot made contact with the brunette woman's torso, knocking her back against a post. She quickly ducked as the blue coated man's blade struck the wood where her head had once been before tackling her assailant to the ground. His sword clattered against the planks and slid away from the two as they wrestled for dominance. Constance retrieved the dagger she hid in her boot, and with a heavy swing, she caught the man off-guard and sliced open his jugular.

The woman let out a breath of relief before standing to her feet. The brig was dark, but at least the soldier's lantern was still lit even after it fell onto the floor. The three men jailed inside a locked cell greeted her with a cheer as she used the stolen key to free them. Among the captives was Chapeau, but the other two were prisoners long before the Jackdaw pirates had made their way on board.

The shortest of the convicts was a red-headed Irish boy nearing his fourteenth year, while the oldest, a forty-year old German man, stood by his side. They were both pirates serving in Black Sam's fleet, but their ship could not get away in time as it was shot down by the French. Whether or not the other vessels in Bellamy's fleet got away still remained a mystery.

"Any plans on how to get out of here alive?" Constance asked as she tossed the soldier's saber to the German man.

"I-uh-I could take the man's uniform, and pretend to be one of them," the French pirate suggested.

The woman nodded in approval before looking at the other two men. "You boys have any other ideas?" Both shook their heads and remained silent. "Alright, Chapeau, take his clothes and see if you can distract them long enough to let us sneak by. If we can't steal the tender, then we might just have to swim to shore."

Chapeau nodded before stripping off his coat and replaced it with the bloody, blue uniform. The French man gave each of them one last look before pretending to limp into the Orlop. The three remaining pirates waited in silence; their heavy breathes were the only the noise throughout the hold.

Suddenly, they each heard a lout thud as Chapeau hit the planks above their heads and cried out in pain. "M'aide!" he called out, and soon, many footsteps surround him and carried him away.

Constance signaled the other two to follow her lead and the three of them silently made their way up the stairs and into the Orlop. Four men remained in the vicinity, but to the pirates' luck, three of them were asleep in their hammocks. The woman was the first to venture through dark room escorted shortly by the two others.

The lone French soldier sat in silence as he sharpened his dagger with a whetstone. Every now and again, he would steal his eyes from his blade to examine his surroundings, but eventually turned his attention back to what he was doing.

Constance motioned for the other men to stop, and they did so without question. The brunette slowly circled the room within the shadows of the hammocks and crates until she was behind the soldier. Covering his mouth, the woman quickly slashed his throat and held him in place until his blood ran dry and his body became limp in her arms. She slowly lowered him onto the crate he was sitting on to give the appearance that he was also asleep.

The trio didn't hesitate to rush for the door to the gun deck, but instantly stopped when the sound of movement and voices penetrated through the sturdy wood. All three froze in place as they listened closely, but it seemed none of the men on the other side were leaving any time soon.

"What do we do now?" the Irish boy uttered barely under a whisper.

"We need another distraction," replied Constance, pressing her ear against the door. "Sounds like there are about three or four of them in there."

"Et trois plus derrière vous."_(and three more behind you.)_

Without getting a chance to fight back, the biggest of the French men grabbed a hold of German pirate and snapped his neck. The Irish boy cried out, but was immediately silenced when a broad fist made contact with his jaw. The boy fell to the floor unconscious, leaving Constance on her own against the men.

"Pouvons-nous jouer avec elle?"_(Can we play with her?)_ the smallest of the bunch questioned as he took a step forward, but was stopped by the largest of the trio.

"Non, pas encore. Alles-tu trouver le captaine, et lui dire les prisonniers se sont échappés,"_(No, not yet. You go find the captain, and tell him the prisoners escaped.)_ the brute replied as he grabbed Constance by her braid to make sure she didn't run as the lanky French man darted past her into the gun deck.

The colossal human proceeded to wrap an arm around the woman's waist and heaved her off the ground before carrying her out of the hull and into the salty night air. The second French soldier followed shortly behind with the Irish lad draped around his shoulder as though he weighed no more than a sack of potatoes.

"Let me go!" Constance hollered as she beat her elbow against the man's torso which only made his grip tighten.

"Tais-toi, putain!"_(Shut up, whore)_ he gritted through his teeth.

"Ce qui se passe ici?"_(What is happening here?)_ the voice of an older man rang out on the deck, silencing the crew, and causing Constance to stop her thrashing.

The captain had to be in his late fifties with a full head of gray hair and a proud stature. His blue coat lined with white frills was the fanciest uniform amongst the men letting the woman know he was the one in charge.

He slowly ventured away from his quarters and out onto the deck where Constance and the boy were being held. He examined the brunette for a short second before gazing up at the soldier holding her. "Combien sont morts?"_(how many are dead?)_

"Deux des nôtres, l'un d'eux,"_(two of ours, one of theirs)_ the giant replied.

The captain sighed before pacing back and forth in front of the woman. "Now that is a shame." His heavy French accent made it hard for Constance to understand, but after working with Chapeau for so long, she was able to get a gist of what he was saying. "I am a man of the law. I do not kill unless I am ordered by the Crown, or if fired upon by my enemies." He quit pacing in front of the brunette and stared into her forest green eyes. "I normally don't kill my prisoners since I prefer to see their actions justified by the noose, but because you have forced my hand-" The captain flicked his wrist and two blue-coated men dragged a limp Chapeau onto the quarterdeck. "-I will make an exception."

The French pirate's face was bruised and bloodied while his arms and legs were warped in painful angles. Constance concluded that they must of broken every bone they could before the captain told them to stop.

"You see-" the gray-haired commander calmly announced as he ushered at the damaged pirate. "-this is what happens when you anger me." Before the woman could utter a word, the captain drew his flintlock from its holster and released a bullet into Chapeau's skull. Tears pricked at the brunette's eyes, but she immediately closed them and pivoted her head away from the scene. "Now we are even, non? Two of my men for two of yours. Had you stayed in your cells, their deaths would have been clean, and the priests would have given them last rights."

"So why not kill me and be done with it?" Constance muttered as she opened her eyes to gaze at the captain.

"Because you have much to be saved from, child. Not only were you born a savage with no God, but you chose to become a pirate of all things. The priests will cleanse you so that you may have a chance at redemption." The captain inclined his head to regard the brute still holding the woman. "Son retour au brig."(_Return her to the brig)_

Constance hollered out in anger as the commander returned to his quarters and the crew surrounding her retrieved Chapeau's body and tossed it overboard for the sharks. It took everything the woman had to hold back her tears as the French bastards carried her under the deck and back into her cell.

X

_Nassau…On board the Jackdaw_

"Any news?" the blonde Captain of the Jackdaw questioned as he joined his quartermaster at the stern of the ship. His normally colorful blue eyes had become dull from the recent sleepless nights.

"None," replied Adewale as he slid the map lying on the railing in between the two of them. "The only thing worth reporting is that we weren't the first vessel to be tackled in these waters. The French are becoming more bold and are advancing closer to the shore everyday." The quartermaster stepped away from the parchment to study his friend whose form was beginning to show his weariness. "Captain…we need to accept the possibility that they might already be dead…even _her-"_

"This isn't about _her!_" Edward growled, his voice deepening with every word. "Even if our missing crew members are…dead, I still want to hunt the son of a bitch who killed them, and sank two of the ships in our fleet!"

Ade sighed while placing a firm hand on the blonde's shoulder. "How about you get some rest? I will send word to the Brotherhood to see if we can get a name on this ship we are after."

As much as it pained him, Edward nodded before storming off to his cabin. Empty rum bottles littered his desk and the shelves surrounding it, causing the blonde to just call it a night. He lazily removed his weapon straps and coat before sliding off his boots, and falling onto the mattress. His mind remained a jumbled mess as he tried to let unconsciousness take him, but it was no use. He already knew it was going to be another sleepless night.

Sighing, he threw on a white, long-sleeved shirt before re-sliding his boots back onto his feet and treaded out the door. The night had already begun meaning the taverns were going to be crowded with drunks and whores. Although he really needed a pint and a woman, his conscience wouldn't let him proceed into the nearest bar. Instead, he found himself wandering the streets of the old English town hoping to clear his mind from the recent events.

Without really paying attention to where he was going, he accidentally bumped into another human being, and was about to continue walking until he heard cursing coming from the woman. She used just about every word in the sailor's dictionary, but immediately let her words fade away when the blonde turned to gaze at her with heavy eyes. The red-headed woman's foul behavior instantly vanished as a playful smirk replaced her frown.

"Well, aren't you a handsome one?" she stated as she folded her arms and bit the tip of her thumb seductively.

The blonde Captain had to admit the woman was outstandingly beautiful. Her gorgeous wavy, red hair flowed down to her mid-back, and was partially braided at the top. Her high cheekbones were the perfect shade of red with matching colored lips. She had a straight nose and bluish-green eyes that sparkled in the light. Her figure was just as perfect with a curvy waist, round breasts, and long legs.

Any other time, Edward would of used his charisma to lure her into bed with him, but he wasn't up for the challenge tonight. All he wanted was to be left alone. The blonde turned to leave, and appalled by his actions, the woman grabbed him by the shoulder and pivoted him to face her once more.

"Excuse me! I was speaking to you, was I not?" she questioned, examining Edward thoroughly. He scoffed at her which made him receive a frown, but he couldn't have cared less. "I believe you owe me a drink," she stated as she re-folded her arms.

"For what?" the blonde asked, agitated by her actions.

"For bumping into a lady," the woman retorted.

Edward scoffed again then smirked. "You curse worse than a pirate. If anything, I almost mistaken you for a man."

The woman took the insult as a compliment causing her playful smile to return to her lips. "I know a great tavern just down the street." Ignoring the blonde's protest, she wrapped her hands around his elbow, and ushered forward. "Shall we?"

X

_Two miles off the coast of Nassau_

Constance sat in silence as she listened to the men above her laugh and cheer in drunken merriment. Her throat ached for food and water, but what would it matter to these men? If she died of dehydration, it would mean less work for them.

"We can't escape anymore, can we?" the Irish boy questioned from the cell next to her. Although she couldn't see him, the brunette could tell he was sitting next to the bars.

"They most likely increased their vigilance, so yes, we won't be able to. Not anytime soon," replied Constance. She couldn't sugar-coat the facts, not even for herself.

She heard him choke back a sob before going silent once more. The truth hurt, but there was no point in running from it. The woman closed her eyes and imagined herself back out in the open air on top of the foremast while the wind swept through her hair. She could almost hear the passing gulls and the familiar sound of her crew's sea shanties, but she knew it was all in her head.

However, the sound of cannon fire was not.

The brunette woman nearly screamed as the wood next to her exploded into millions of pieces, letting sea water rush into the hull. The red-headed lad fell backwards in fright, and began to panic as his clothes soaked up the filling water.

"Oh God, this is how we die, isn't it?" the boy began to cry as he watched the ocean pour into the room. "No…not like…I don't want it to end like this…"

Constance's composure had reached its limits. She too was on the verge of breaking down as she examined the broken bits of the wood floating by her feet. She didn't know what to do. Her voice had failed her, and her body froze from fear. It was just like how it was on the _Tyrion, _but this time, there was no Edward or his crew. It was just her, and a boy who had pissed his pants in fright.

The cheering and singing above the brig had ended long ago, and the men seemed to have disappeared to return fire on whoever it was attacking them. The brunette was at a loss of what to do since she held no lock picks and there was not a soldier within earshot to trick into letting them go. All she could do was wait for the attackers to board the vessel, or accept her fate at the bottom of the ocean.

X

_Nassau…The Drowning Wench tavern_

Edward suspiciously eyed the red-haired woman as she down her third pint, and gave the blonde a flirtatious grin. "So, Mr…."

"Kenway, Edward Kenway," the Captain stated more harshly than he imagined.

"Edward, what brings you to Nassau? Pirate business?" she asked while pouring herself another tankard.

"It is none of your business," he retorted, downing his drink in one swig.

The woman pretended she was hurt, but her smile never swayed. "I'm only curious. I have this terrible _addiction_ to the pirate life."

Edward inwardly scoffed, and slightly mocked her behavior. "And what's a woman like you trying to seduce a man like me? I'm only curious."

The woman placed her arms on the table and leaned forward to make her cleavage more prominent. "Nassau has become…boring. I meet all these wonderful men who are free to sail the seas, but none of them are willing to take a woman on board with them. I was hoping you might be different."

It was Edward's turn to smirk. "Aye, I am, but I am not looking for a female companion on board my vessel. Sorry to waste your time."

The blonde pushed himself out of his chair and onto his feet. He gave her one last smirk before heading out the tavern door. The Captain heard her call his name, but he refused to look back. It was then he felt the tug on his shoulder, and he soon found himself face to face with the red-head once more.

"Quit following me," Edward growled, his face leaning in close to hers.

"Give me a reason why?" she retorted.

"A reason for what?"

"Why I am unable to become part of your crew."

"I don't have to explain myself to a tavern wench." With that, the blonde began walking again, but this time, the woman stood in his path.

"Really? A tavern wench? Is that what you think I am? A woman who just sits around asking every man to buy me a drink and sail me away into the sunset?" She laughed, but then her smile fell, and her face became serious. "I am tired of my husband, and I am sick of sitting around like a boring housewife awaiting for something exciting to happen. All I ask of you is to let me join your crew."

Edward studied her for a moment, but he saw no signs of betrayal or lies. "Like I said before, I am not looking for a female to board my ship."

The red-head stopped him again, eyeing him dangerously. "Can I have a reason?"

"You are not going to let me leave until I do, will you?" the blonde questioned, folding his arms in a mocking manner to hers. The woman nodded as her frown loosened. Edward sighed before looking her in the eye. "The only position for a female recruit has been taken. Sorry, love, but I'm not looking to have any more join."

She seemed appalled at first, but she immediately swallowed back her shock, and soon her playful smirk was back on her lips. "Is that so? Does she satisfy your crew with _all _their needs?"

Sea-colored eyes narrowed out of anger and he forced the woman into the alleyway and against of the building next to the tavern. His hands were locked on the wall next to her head, and his face leaned in close to hers. "She isn't a whore I let my crew have their way with. She has proven herself a great fighter, and an excellent climber. She is just as good of a pirate as any man has shown, so before you start running your mouth, maybe _you _should consider proving yourself to the pirates rather than approach them like a bitch in heat."

The woman appeared utterly terrified as her breast moved against the blonde's skin with her labored breath. Her blue eyes were open wide and her lips trembled in fear. Having seen his point made clear, the Captain was just about to make his leave when the red-head grabbed the collar of his white shirt and pulled him close until his lips met hers. As much as he wanted to break away, Edward found himself returning the kiss before pressing the woman furthering against the wall.

His arms snaked around her waist and into her soft hair, while hers hugged his neck. When they finally broke for air, the blonde immediately attacked her neck, and sucked harshly on her silky skin. His arms pulled her up the wall, and her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist.

Edward's mind reeled for him to stop, to say no to all this, and return back to the Jackdaw so he could continue to look for Constance, but his body told him to stay. He had pushed himself for the past two weeks looking for his missing crew, and it was about time to call it quits. He needed this. He needed someone to share a bed with, even if there was no sex involved. He had missed visiting the half-Indian crew member during the night when they both couldn't sleep, or if she needed to be consoled after dealing with a situation that would mentally damage normal citizens.

He just needed one night with a woman…for the sake of his own health.

X

_Two miles off the coast of Nassau_

Water gurgled from the brunette's throat as she vomited sea water onto the deck. Two male figures appeared through the haze of her blurred vision, while another joined shortly after. The woman's breath was rapid as she tried to sit up, but only felt her head spin more. The voices of the surrounding men fell on deaf ears as Constance scanned the deck for any information about what was going on, but her vision had yet to clear.

A firm hand gripped her shoulder, causing the brunette to gaze at the black-coated figure kneeling next to her. "How are you feeling, lass?"

"I'm fine," she sputtered, gripping her ribs as pain shot through her diaphragm.

"Easy there, lass. Had ta resurrect ya after finding ya floating in the water."

The haze clouding Constance's vision slowly began to fade, and soon Blackbeard's broad stature became more apparent. The woman glanced at each of the pirates looking for the familiar red hair of the Irish boy. "Where is the boy that was with me in the brig?" she questioned, turning her head back to Thatch.

"He didn't make it," he replied, standing to his feet and pulling the woman with him. "The more important question is why are you still here in the Caribbean? Kenway was supposed to drop you off at the colonies."

The memory of meeting both Kenway and Thatch replayed in her mind and she couldn't help, but smile. "I decided to stay."

"Well, you are doing one heck of a job staying out of trouble." Blackbeard whistled, signaling his crew to wrap things up. "C'mon, lass. Since I like your bravery, I'll drop ya off in Nassau, and then ya are on ya own."

X

**Just a few more author notes:**

**1) I am only in my second year of French since it's my minor in college, so please be gentle if the Grammar hate decides to flare. **

**2) Next chapter will explain what happened to have Constance in this situation.**


	22. Lost and Found

**Well, after much thought, I am going to postpone my EdwardXOC stories that are still on the drafting board to finish this one. The only way I will publish a second story would be if I had the whole thing mapped out from beginning to end with no problems with delays. I am truly sorry about this. **

**Also, I am sorry about this chapter. I kind of rushed it since it is nothing more than a filler, and I needed to get to the next one that will set off the new developments for the story. **

**Anyway, enjoy. **

Chapter 22: Lost and Found

_Nassau…the next morning_

Sea-colored eyes opened to the sun's rays penetrating the thin curtain that blocked the outside world from the musty inn chamber. The night's events hit the Captain like a brick, sending his intoxicated head into a whirl of dizziness. The naked, tan-skinned woman that the blonde had chosen to spend the evening with rested her torso against his, while her head was tucked at the nape of his neck. Edward glanced down at their intertwined bodies and wondered what had come over him to follow this woman into an inn.

It was then that it hit him: he had slept through the entire night for the first time in the past two weeks.

Placing his head back onto the pillow, the blonde closed his eyes and relaxed his body once more. Even if the bed was uncomfortable, he hadn't felt this composed since part of his crew went missing. Sleep seemed like an old friend that he was never able to meet, and he greeted it with open arms. Edward subconsciously twirled the woman's wavy hair on his index finger as he tried to lull himself back into oblivion, but his mind could no longer rest knowing that it was a new day.

The blonde felt the woman stir as she opened her eyes and glanced up at him with a smile on her face. "Morning, sweetie," she cooed, cuddling closer to his warm figure.

It had been years since Edward had found himself in this position with a woman he chose to sleep with. Normally he was dressed and gone before the sun made its appearence, but he was stuck here now, and the situation felt….awkward. "Morning, _Anne," _he stated almost shyly. He honestly didn't know how to react to all this.

"Aw, now this this cute." The red-head pulled away the only blanket covering the two of them and climbed on top of the blonde before he could protest. "This your first time staying in a woman's bed after sex?" With red cheeks, Edward was about to push her off of him, but she tighten her legs around his waist and leaned in close so that their lips were barely touching. "What's the matter, sweetie? Don't want to see me any more?"

"Sorry, love, I have business to attend to," replied the Captain as he rubbed his hands against the soft flesh of Anne's thighs and hips. He hoped to gain the upper hand and use his charisma to worm his way out of this trap.

"Is that so?" she questioned seductively as her fingers brushed every muscle on his torso. "I think you just want to leave me."

Edward couldn't suppress the excitement rushing to his nether regions as the red-head's breast rubbed against his skin and her hips rolled adjacent to his. Her body was driving him crazy, and the more he struggled to regain control, the harder she pressed.

"So what's it going to be, sweetie? Are you going to leave, or do you want to stay just a little while longer with me?"

Edward's judgment became clouded as he forced himself to remain focused, but Anne continued to move her body against his, causing him to throw away any form of conscience he had left. Grabbing hold on her waist, he easily flipped the woman onto her back on the bed, climbed on top of her and immediately began sucking at the already bruised skin on her neck. Anne moaned seductively into the blonde's ears as he firmly held her hips and thrust himself inside her warmth.

Any control Edward had left over his body had disappeared, but he no longer cared. This woman was beautiful, and fucked like a goddess. Everything about her was intoxicating: from her smell to her taste, and the blonde just kept wanting more.

X

_Ports of Nassau…at that same moment_

The short stature of the half-Indian woman was barely noticeable in the crowd as she quietly by-passed the growing throng of citizens as the day began. The delicious smell of sizzling meat and rising bread caused the brunette to drool slightly while her stomach growled in protest. Thatch had been kind enough to let her go the moment they made port, but he gave her no provisions to help fend for herself.

Constance sighed as she continued down the docks of the city. Although there was a very unlikely chance that it could be true, the woman hoped that maybe the Jackdaw would be anchored somewhere in the bay. The further she traveled through the maze of boats, the more her faith diminished. How on earth could they be here? She and the others disappeared off the coasts of the Cayman Islands, and unless Edward was a great tracker, there would have been no way he would of known she was here.

The minutes turned to hours as the woman advanced further into her search, but there was no where else to go once the shore had ended. There was no Jackdaw waiting for her, nor was there any sign that the crew had been here in the past few weeks. Constance had to push herself not think about the worst case scenario. Edward was always moving, and always looking out for his crew. He couldn't have saved them, but he sure as hell was going to get his revenge.

And iff the blonde wasn't here now, then he would be soon, or at least, that is what the woman tried to convince herself.

Swallowing her fear, Constance left the docks and made her way to an unfamiliar tavern at the corner of the street. The brunette managed to cut a few coin purses off the local drunks along the way before stepping inside the vicinity. The men and women paid no attention to the half-Indian as she claimed a spot at the counter of the bar, and bought a full bottle of rum and mutton leg. She was almost invisible to the crowd due to her small form and masculine clothes that hid her true figure.

Constance finished her food in silence, and continued to quietly drink her alcohol as her mind raced to think up a game plan. She would need a place to stay and more shillings if she planned on eating. She could probably find odd jobs to pay off a room at an inn, but what skills did she possess? The idea of becoming a chamber maid struck her, but the horrible memories of her time as a slave in England immediately forced the suggestion from her mind.

Now that she thought about it, she wasn't exactly sure what she was good at doing. She could climb and fight, but there were no jobs for _ladies _with that talent. Woman were supposed to be able to cook, clean, and bear children; that was it. Had she grown up a full English woman with the skills she had, she would of most likely never found a husband.

Maybe she could live off the untamed jungles of Nassau until Edward and the crew returned. She might be a bit rusty as a hunter, but she had spent far too many years on that small island to forget how to survive in the wilderness.

Constance almost seemed lost as her two different lives reeled together in a passing memory. She was in paradise on that island, and she let it all go to sail into the unknown where it was most dangerous. When she was living alone in her small world, the only thing she had to worry about was starving and surviving any rough storms that blew through the area. Here; though, she was forced to fight and kill while avoiding harsh weather and fatal diseases. Why had she given it up?

The brunette polished off the bottle of rum hoping the alcohol would drown away her thoughts, but the idea was already planted into her brain. Who was stupid enough to give up paradise for a world filled with destruction and hate? Constance couldn't understand why this had begun to bother her now. She loved every moment she spent with the crew, and for once in her life, she had people whom she could call a family. If this were true, then why was her mind trying to place her unfortunate luck on them?

Maybe, even if it were just a little, she blamed them for taking her away from her paradise.

Constance lowered her head and combed her fingers through her hair hoping that her mind would stop. She didn't want to think that way; she loved being on board the Jackdaw… Didn't she?

Pain electrified through the woman's cranium causing her to grip her head out of instinct. The headache felt like someone had just stuck a blade through her skull, but there was nothing there. Constance cursed inwardly as the torment worsened which in turn blurred her vision. She swooned slightly and she soon found herself collapsing onto the dirty, wooden floors while at the same time silencing the tavern.

The last person she witnessed was a tall, dark-haired patron before the brunette fell into unconsciousness and out of her torture.

X

_Nassau's docks…later that evening_

How long had it been since he had smiled? thought the blonde Captain as he wandered back to his awaiting ship. He had spent all his time devoted to his crew and their safety that his own health had begun to worsen. And although his mind was in working order now, Edward believed that meeting Anne Bonny was the perfect medicine he needed to get his body back in working condition.

Wedged between two other frigates, the Jackdaw was almost invisible if anyone had scanned over the area briefly in search for it. Edward let his hand glide over the smooth railings as he climbed the stairs to the helm of the ship where Adewale seemed to wait impatiently. The dark-skinned man had his back facing toward the blonde, but as the Captain neared, he noticed the taller male reading a more detailed map of Nassau and its surrounding waters.

"Any news?" Edward called to the quartermaster in an almost déjà vu moment.

Adewale appeared shocked at first, but his expression turned dark as he roughly set down his tankard before turning his entire attention toward the blonde. "I have spent this entire morning sending the crew out to search for you! Where have you been?"

Edward didn't even bat an eye as he leaned against the ship's railing next to the quartermaster, and examined the map for himself. "I took your advice and went out on the town to relax."

"Well, I can see that, but I hope that the whore you've spent the last few hours with was worth the trouble you put your men through."

The blonde gave the dark-skinned male a look of annoyance before placing the parchment back on the crates leaning against the stern of the ship. "What happened?"

"We have located Constance," said Ade, getting straight to the point.

The blonde appeared astonished at first, but he quickly removed all his expressions. "Where is she?" Edward questioned, his frantic voice betraying his stoic face.

Adewale gestured to the forecastle with his thumb while his eyes remained on the Captain. "Resting. We found her right as she collapsed at a local tavern. No one really noticed her while she was there, but the owner said she had been drinking since the place opened."

"Have you managed to speak to her?"

The quartermaster shook his head as he too leaned against the stern railing. "She hasn't woken up yet."

Edward nodded in understanding as he let out a sigh of relief. After all that time searching, she finds them instead. "We will debrief her when she wakes."

"Something about this situation doesn't sit right with me," Ade stated after a few moments of silence.

"And what makes you say that?" asked the blonde as he glanced over at his friend.

"We lose two ships, and a few men on board the Jackdaw during a raid. The vessel we have been searching for vanishes every time we had gotten close, and now all of a sudden, we find one of our missing crew members. In a _tavern _of all places."

"There is always an explanation."

"I hope so, because none of this makes sense."

X

_On board the Jackdaw…midnight_

_Billowing sails caught fire as men rushed to stop the blue-coated enemy or flee overboard for their lives. The Jackdaw, even at full speed, was too slow to save the crew on board the sloop __**Maria. **__The blonde haired Captain gritted his teeth as he watched his fellow ship begin to sink below the waves. _

"_It's too late, Captain, we need to fall back!" Adewale suggested, but the blonde didn't pay heed._

"_We still have time to save the men on board the __**Lemmings**__," Edward retorted as he cautiously maneuvered the Jackdaw through the Cayman Islands' rocky waters._

"_It's too late!" Ade called out again, but his words fell on deaf ears. _

_Just as the larger frigate moved in to pull the injured pirates on board, the __**Lemmings**__ all of a sudden detonated, sending flying pieces of wood scattering in all directions. The men on the Jackdaw's deck quickly rushed for cover; however, a few of the crew member were blasted back by the force of the explosion, and were thrown into the Caribbean sea. Constance being one of them. _

_The woman's head spun as blood oozed from a new gash on top of her head, but she fought to stay awake. Her and the other men surfaced and began to swim to the nearest hull in their line of sight. Without taking pre-caution, the crew climbed aboard, only to be welcome by the ends of gun barrels pointed at their heads. _

Green eyes fluttered opened as Constance's entire body jerked causing the woman to panic. She quickly sat up with labored breaths and studied the familiar room around her. To the brunette's utter confusion and shock, she was lying in her own bed in her own room back on the Jackdaw.

_How am I-? _she began to question, but never finished thinking as she rushed up the stairs and opened the hatch to the outside world.

The salty ocean air hit her lungs like a cool wave, letting her relax slightly. Constance studied the exterior of the vessel carefully, not quite sure if she was still dreaming or not. She had spent so much time as a prisoner under the French that she eventually began to hallucinate, and she feared that it was happening again now.

Exiting entirely from her cabin, the woman quietly made her way over to the Captain's quarters before lightly knocking. A part of her wished he wouldn't answer the door, and maybe if he didn't, then she would know for certain that this wasn't real. He never answered when it was a dream.

About to turn around and leave, Constance heard the click of the person inside twisting the knob and the door opened slowly, revealing the worn out Captain. He was only dressed in his trousers and his eyes drooped open and close as he yawned away his sleep.

"What is so import-" Edward stopped mid-sentence as he finally opened his eyes to see the petit woman standing awkwardly at his door. Her breath hitched in her throat as the tears pricked at her vision.

Constance couldn't have cared less if anyone saw the act of affection as she rushed forward and hugged the blonde around the waist tightly; afraid that if she let go, he would vanish. Edward hastily shut the door behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist and shoulders, fearing the same. The Captain lowered his cheek to the top of her head, taking in her musky scent, hoping that he too was not dreaming.

"Are you alright?" the blonde asked, subconsciously hugging her tighter. The woman nodded into his bare chest, feeling like a child reuniting with a parent. "Constance, I need to know what happened."

Pulling the woman slightly away from his form, Edward tried to get a good look at the brunette's face, but she immediately lowered her head down so he couldn't see her pained expression. However, his hands were much stronger, and when the blonde was finally able to force her chin upward, her tears had caught him by surprise.

Even in the worst situations, the woman never cried, but the blonde feared the worse when Constance couldn't force back her sobs.

"We lost everyone," she stated trying to rub away the water streaks from her cheeks. "Those who weren't shot died in the Brig."

"How did you manage to escape?"

The brunette continued to wipe away the tears, but her sobs had seized all together. "That man, the one who saved us when we first met, he said he had also been chasing down those French men for sinking a sloop in his fleet."

"Thatch?"

Constance nodded as she wiped away the last of the moisture on her face. "Yeah. He said he would drop me off here in Nassau since he didn't want me on board with his crew, nor did he want me to stay prisoner under the Crown."

The blonde smiled at the thought of Blackbeard having a soft side. "Guess I owe the man another round of drinks."

This caused the woman to smile in return, but her expression fell as she inspected the Captain's features. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Edward asked, confused by her words.

"For all this mess," the brunette replied as she stepped away from the blonde while looking at everything but the man in front of her. "I had so many chances to help the crew escape. I let so many of them down-I could of-but I just-"

"We can't save everyone, you know," said the Captain as he placed a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault either."

"Why didn't they just kill us?" Constance questioned, finally regarding Edward's attention. "The captain just let us slowly rot in their brig, but kept saying he was going to make sure justice was going to be answered in court."

The blonde studied the woman's glossy eyes, searching out the pain she had endured. "What was the name of the captain of this ship?"

Constance shook her head, tears reforming on her face. "I don't know, but I'm glad the bastard is dead."


	23. Curse of a Woman's Beauty

**My longest chapter yet. Sorry for the long wait, but I really wanted to release this chapter on the 19****th****. Why? HAPPY NATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY!**

**I combined two chapters into one just for this day. Also, I know you guys are going to like it….hopefully. I've been getting nagged a lot about a few things, and I hope this part of the story satisfies you.**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 23: Curse of a Woman's Beauty

_On board the Jackdaw…the next morning_

Green eyes fluttered open, releasing the last memory of the woman's dream. She shook slightly at the nightmare's lasting impression within her skin, but Constance pushed away the haunting thoughts, and rested her head back on the pillow. Her surroundings were familiar, yet alien to her at the same time. Having slept in a dark Brig for so long, the brunette was hesitant to trust that this was reality, and that she may awaken back in that hell.

Constance, after a few more moments of confusion, finally accepted that she was indeed in reality, and relaxed once more. As much as she wanted to retreat from the cabin for some fresh air, the brunette feared that if she moved, she would wake her sleeping companion.

Edward laid behind her, his arm draped lazily over her waist while his chest pressed lightly against her back. His growing beard tickled her neck as his alcohol scented breath wafted onto her nape. The woman questioned how she ended up sharing a bed with the Captain, but the last thing she remembered was falling asleep in the plush chair as the two shared a drink. _As least we are both clothed, _she thought, fearing that she must of blacked out from the liquor.

Although Constance wasn't sure what to make of the situation, she had to admit that she liked it. _Does this mean something? _she wondered. Her former _teacher _when she was a slave once told her that when a man and woman lied in the same bed, but did not…procreate…it meant that they were married, or they were trusted friends who had to share a bed for the night. So was this the latter? The brunette had seen the Captain lure many beautiful women to his bed, but he only did so for his fill of pleasure.

Constance inwardly scoffed at her stupidity. The blonde preferring her over the countless women who fell so easily for his charismatic charm? Now that was a ridiculous dream.

The brunette's eyes subconsciously began to examine the many empty bottles littering the room. Edward; although not the cleanest of individuals, never let his quarters become the mess that had struck the place. Constance's mind speculated that the crew's disappearance had taken a bigger toll on the Captain than he let on. Did he even sleep, or ever considered giving up the search for them?

The woman felt Edward stir, and instantly pretended to be asleep. The blonde's arm disappeared from her waist, and his facial hair no longer rubbed against the back of her neck as his form departed from the silky sheets. Constance listened closely as Edward rummaged for his coat and weapon straps before exiting the cabin. The brunette listened closely for the Captain's footsteps to retreat before jumping from the bed and leaving the quarters herself.

She did not remain on the deck long before entering her own cabin and locking the hatch behind her. The room lied untouched even after the many days of its temporary abandonment. The woman foraged through her cloths and retrieved a somewhat fresher long-sleeved, white shirt and navy blue trousers. She had washed herself as soon as Thatch delivered her to port, but her wardrobe was in desperate need of change. Leaving her boots by the bed, the brunette returned to the deck barefooted before treading up the stairs to the helm.

Adewale sat on the stern's railing with a tankard in one hand and documents in the other. He nodded the woman's way, but continued to read the papers as she approached the quartermaster. Constance tried not to disrupt him as she opened a crate to his right and took a bottle of rum for herself. The brunette was just about to depart when the dark-skinned man's voice stopped her from leaving.

"What happened to you on board that ship?" he asked, his eyes remaining on the parchments.

Constance turned to gaze at him while her fingers fidgeted the containers back and forth. "The Captain and I have already spoken about it."

The quartermaster placed the papers on his lap and stared at the woman. "I want to know what happed from your perspective, not what Kenway tells me."

The brunette leaned against the adjacent railing, her hands now sloshed the liquid inside the bottle. "You don't trust him?"

"I-" he started, looking down at the deck before gazing back up at the woman. "I need to know for myself."

Constance studied the man curiously. "The Captain doesn't tell you much, does he?"

Adewale bit the inside of his cheek and strayed his eyes from the brunette. "He doesn't…tell the full truth. He gives me the big picture, but leaves out the details."

"I thought you two discussed everything with one another."

"We do…or we did…something is not right."

"With the Captain?"

"With everything!" The quartermaster turned his attention back to Constance. "There are riots in almost every port, fleets sailing under the Crown are becoming more bold, and now, after some God given miracle, we manage to find you. We lost the French vessel's position over a week ago, and everyone knows they don't keep prisoners for long. Now you can see why I am a little suspicious."

Constance's face fell as she watched Adewale pick up the documents and began re-reading them. As much as she forced herself not to say anything, the woman needed someone to talk to, and the quartermaster was just as worried about the situation as she was. "I know about the Assassins."

The dark-skinned man appeared stunned as he slowly lowered the parchments back down onto his lap. "What?"

"Liam told me…about everything," the brunette continued, still unsure if she chose the right move. "I know about you and the Captain and the whole training dilemma. I know that the Assassins are being hunted down like cornered rabbits, and I also know that the Templars are not going to stop until Edward is on their side or dead."

Adewale almost seemed confused about all this. "When did you learn all this?"

"Last time we were in Havana," the woman mumbled.

"Why are you choosing to tell me this now?"

Constance nearly dropped the bottle as her hands trembled from nervousness. "Because it was the only reason why I am still alive."

X

_The hold reeked of feces and gore, and the added body odor didn't help. The Jackdaw men and woman had been prisoner for only four days, but death had taken two of the crew. _

_Constance sat alone in her own cell while the five others shared the one next to hers. The wood around them creaked under the pressure of the ocean's currents, but other than that, the Brig was silent. The pirates had learned the hard way that the French do not like their captives speaking to one another, and each of them received the lashings for it. The brunette feared this would be her last voyage across the sea, and then she would be greeted by the oval of a noose._

_All of a sudden, the hatch to the Brig swung open and down stepped four soldiers garbed in white and blue. The woman's blood ran cold when they stopped in front of her cell and unlocked it. The door swayed open on squeaky hinges, and the French men yanked the reluctant woman from the prison. Constance fought back with what little strength she had, but they eventually overpowered her and dragged her from the hold._

_The woman, after days without light, couldn't keep her eyes open in the afternoon sun as the soldiers threw her to the deck. She sat up slowly, expecting the men to grab on to her, but they didn't need to; she was outmanned and an easy fight in her current state. Footsteps approached her, but the brunette could not force her eyes open long enough to examine the man as he circled her tired form._

"_So, is the woman going to the one to break?" The man's accent was thick, but his voice was authoritative. The sound of his expensive shoes pacing left and right on the weathered wood allowed Constance the ability to follow his actions. "You know how hard it has been searching for the Jackdaw? For a Captain who is so reckless and ready to show off his skills, he leaves no trails for anyone to find."_

"_Is there a reason why you are keeping us alive then?" the woman questioned, attempting to open her eyes once more, but the sun prevented her a clear image her surroundings._

"_I have my reasons. You see, even if I kill you and the rest of your crew, your stupid Captain will still hunt down our ship out of revenge."_

"_That doesn't answer my question."_

_The man's footsteps halted and Constance's head snapped to the left as she felt the back of a hand make contact with her cheek. The sting was nothing compared to the beating she used to take, but her eyes still watered from the pain._

"_Tais-toi!" He began to pace again, this time; however, he circled her like a hawk hunting its prey. "For a woman, you have a sharp tongue. I have my questions, and one of you will give us the answers. If not, I will just slice your throat and toss you overboard."_

_The woman opened her eyes to glare at the French bastard even though she still had yet to adjust to the brightness of the outside world. "Then do it already! None of us will talk."_

_The man chuckled as he drew closer to Constance. "Why do you think I chose you as the negotiator?" He rubbed his hand softly over the forming bruise on the brunette's cheek. "If you tell me everything you know about the Jackdaw and its crew, I will spare the lives of you and the men down in the Brig…well… at least until we make port. I can not guarantee anything after that."_

_Constance bit her lip to stop herself from taking the offer. She couldn't just give away the Captain to save the lives of only five others; two of which were not even part of the same crew. However, she figured if she gave the French what they wanted to hear, then they might just let her live long enough to escape._

"_And how do I know you will keep your word?" the brunette questioned as she gazed into the man's sky-blue eyes._

"_I swear under the flag in which I sail," he replied, giving her a smug grin._

_Hesitant, the woman nodded before glancing around at the men on the deck. There were an abundance of them on board, and Constance feared that she might of made the wrong choice, but she bought herself time. Time in which she could use to save the others rotting in hell with her._

X

"Everyday I would be dragged into the captain's quarters, interrogated, and then brought back down to the Brig," Constance described as she downed the remaining liquid in her bottle.

"And you told them nothing?" Adewale questioned.

The brunette nodded. "I _exaggerated _the truth mostly. Liam told me it's what keeps you alive in those types of situations. It kept them satisfied long enough to come up with an escape plan, which cost everyone their lives anyway."

The quartermaster leaned back, content with the new information. "Why did they spare you?"

"There were two of us, but the boy didn't make it when Blackbeard attacked the ship. I'm not quite sure why the captain kept withholding my death."

"And Thatch brought you here because it was the nearest port?"

Constance nodded again. "For all the trouble Rousseau cost him, Blackbeard wanted him to _repay _for all the damages."

Adewale appeared confused for a slight second, but his demeanor instantly changed to a serious one. "Did you just say Rousseau?"

The woman was now the one who was confused. "Yeah…why?"

"Does the Captain know about this?"

Constance shrugged, not really sure what to say. "I mentioned Thatch punishing him, but no, I never said his name."

Adewale stood from his spot on the railing, leaving the tankard and parchments on the crate next to him. "Do you know where he will be doing all this?"

"Um…yes…he said he is going to set up down on the shore where everyone can see."

The dark-skinned man pulled the woman to her feet with ease as he tossed her empty rum bottle onto the deck. "I will head to the shore to find the Captain, but I need you to deliver a letter for me."

"A letter?" the brunette was now completely lost about the whole situation.

"His name is Jamar, and yes, he is a fellow assassin. You can find him at the Drowning Wench tavern in town, but you must hurry because he may no longer be there." Adewale stated as he made his way into the Captain's quarters to retrieve a parchment sealed with scarlet wax. He handed it over to the woman without another word, and fled the Jackdaw before she could even speak.

Utterly confused, Constance gave the letter a quick glance before heading into her cabin to grab her boots, and treaded onward to a tavern she never even heard of.

X

_The Drowning Wench…two hours later_

Blue eyes gleamed in mischief as the woman slid a long, slender finger down the edge of the tankard slowly as she puckered her lips seductively. Her companion sitting across from her in the corner of the bar kept a stoic expression as his brown eyes examined the wench carefully. The woman's leg rubbed against his no matter how many times he had moved away, and although the man was becoming more agitated by the second, he forced himself to stay focused long enough to get his answers.

"What's the matter? Do you not prefer a woman in your bed?" the red-head asked as the dark-skinned male moved his leg once more.

"You have yet to answer my question," he replied, annunciating each word with his deep, Cajun accent.

She pouted her red lips, but smiled once more as she grabbed a hold of her drink and took a swig. "It's ok, I don't judge, but I must ask: why are you curious about the governor?"

The man gritted his teeth, but held his tongue. "My associates and I believe that he may be planning something, and because your husband is close to him, it is why we've asked for your assistance."

The woman laughed mockingly, placing her tankard back on the table. "My husband tells me nothing, so you are wasting your time."

"We need to know. If you could obtain some answers from your husband, or find evidence through a document-"

The red-head slammed her bottle down on the table, sending a few looks her way from the other patrons in the tavern. "Like I said before: That man doesn't tell me a damn thing. If you really want your answers that badly then go get them from him yourself!"

The man sighed as he mumbled to himself to stay calm. "We understand that your relationship is…unstable… but we need your help."

"Well you can go-"

"Excuse me?"

The red-head fell silent and both individuals turned to gaze at the small stature of the woman next to the table. Her cheeks burned scarlet from the new attention causing her to advert her eyes to the floor out of embarrassment. The dark-skinned man observed the woman carefully, surprised he had not noticed her approach the table.

"What is the matter, miss?" the man questioned as his curiosity overpowered his anger.

"Jamar?" the brunette asked. He nodded causing Constance hand over the letter to the assassin. "Adewale sent me."

Jamar reached for the letter and scanned over the words carefully. His face remained stoic as he folded the parchment and placed it in the safety of his coat. "What is your name, child?" he asked, examining the Indian.

"Constance," she replied shyly.

The red-head watched all of this with a snarl on her ruby lips while her brow furrowed in anger. "I thought we were in the middle of something?"

Jamar returned the glare as he stood from his chair. "Well, I am truly sorry, Anne, but something more important has risen. Maybe we can negotiate this later." The assassin turned his full attention toward the brunette with a reassuring smile. "Are you part of the order?"

Constance shook her head. "I am only part of the crew."

"Under Mr. Kenway?"

The brunette nodded once more causing the red-head to jump from her seat and slam her hands onto the table. "You're the wench Edward has as a crew member?"

Constance was appalled by the woman's outburst which, in turn, made her loose any meekness she had left. "Excuse me?"

Anne, with heavy feet, marched up to the brunette, examining her carefully. "He chose you?" She scoffed as her blue eyes studied the shorter woman's wardrobe and figure. "Flat chest. Thin hips. A face of a savage, and let's not forget those clothes that make you appear more like a man. No wonder you were able to become a pirate." The woman laughed before leaning in close to the brunette. "Let me give some advice, sweetie, you will never bed a man with your looks."

Constance growled in her throat as she placed a hand on the hilt of the dagger stowed on her waist, but Jamar extended his arm in between the two women. "Enough! Anne, we will talk later. Constance, we need to discuss a few things. Follow me."

The dark-skinned male lead the way out of the tavern, but the Indian gave the red-head one last glare before the two were beyond the threshold of the bar. As soon as the duo made it out onto the street, Jamar pivoted to glance down at the brunette with a warm smile on his face.

"I must warn you to be wary of that woman. She is beautiful like a rose, but her thorns seep venom," he advised.

"I do not care for roses. They wilt too quickly and I find their smells too pungent," replied Constance, her anger still passing.

The dark-skinned male laughed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Had we the time, I would buy you a drink, but there is much to be done." Jamar steered the woman down the street while his eyes locked onto hers. "Adewale speaks of the French commander Rousseau, and that he is…_being taken care of." _

Constance nodded. "Blackbeard wants payment for his sunken vessels."

"This would be good news then. Do you know of Rousseau? His orientation and influence?"

"No. I was a prisoner for a short time on board his ship, but I never knew who he was before then."

Jamar contemplated her words, but never stopped moving. "I see. Since you are aware of our order, I assume you know of the Templars." Constance replied with a nod. "Good, because I need your assistance."

"I'm not an assassin," the woman stated, unsure what to make of the man's request.

"You do not need to be. You see, the order is becoming very difficult to maintain as of late due to the ever increase in Templars, and because of this, we can not maintain vigilance on Mr. Kenway."

"But what do you want me to do?"

"All I ask is that you keep an eye on your Captain."

"What?"

"In Adewale's letter, he speaks of increased troubles on both sides of the battlefield, and your Captain is right in the middle of it. My friend is concerned and says Kenway will listen to you far better than he does his own quartermaster. If this is true, I have to ask that you keep him out of trouble."

Shocked by the announcement, Constance stopped in her tracks and gave the assassin a dumbfounded expression. "The Captain does not listen to me. I am only a rigger. If anything, he does the complete opposite of my judgment."

"Could you try?" Jamar asked, also stopping so he could gaze at the woman. "Kenway needs a conscious in his life, and I believe it should be a woman's touch."

"Is that what you think he needs? A woman?" the brunette gritted her teeth in anger as her nostrils flared. "Why not bribe him with a few of the locals? He prefers red-heads if you want to pick out the perfect candidate."

The dark-skinned male took in a deep breath to calm himself, but his smile never strayed. "That's the problem with him to begin with. He takes a whore from each port to fill his lust, his belly is always full of rum, and shall I not rule out the continuing violence and need for glory. Adewale can not keep him safe forever. Kenway is lit candle teetering on the edge of the table, and if he falls, he is going to do so onto a powder keg."

Constance glared into Jamar's dark brown eyes as she resisted the urge to uppercut him in the jaw. "He is not even a full-fledged assassin!" The man showed a slight appearance of outrage, causing the brunette to smirk in triumph. "Yeah, I know about that! He is neither one of you nor one of the Templars, so why are the assassins so scared that he will become one of _them? _He obviously holds no interest in their motives after all the recent trouble they have given him."

"There are other reasons why-"

"What reasons?"

Jamar bit his lip as his eyes lingered toward the roofs of Nassau, eyeing them warily. "I don't have time to discuss it, nor is this the place to do so. Consider the offer, and we shall speak again; sooner rather than later I hope. Take care, child."

"Wait!" Constance hollered, but the man had already taken off into a nearby alleyway and disappeared into the darkness. The brunette was about to chase after him when the familiar voice of the red-head from the tavern stopped her from proceeding. The Indian growled under her breath as she pivoted to glare at the wench. "What now?"

Anne Bonny snarled her lip as she approached Constance with a glare to match the brunettes. "We never had the chance to finish our talk."

"Sorry to break this to you, but I'm in no mood to argue with a whore."

Constance didn't even see the red-head's hand move, but the sting on her cheek and her head snapping to the left caught her by surprise. The brunette wiped the blood from her split lip before turning to glower at the woman. Anne held a triumph smirk on her red lips as she leaned in close to the shorter woman's face.

"Never call me a whore, savage."

Constance threw the second punch which knocked the red-head to the dirt. She didn't stay on the ground long as she pushed herself back to her feet and produced a dagger from her boot. The brunette smiled as she unsheathed her own small blade from her waist and the two watched each other closely, waiting for the other to make the first move.

"I'll give you credit, savage, you have quite the punch for a small animal," Anne mocked as she twisted her blade on her wrist.

"And for a tramp, you are close to being able to hit like a man."

The red-head growled before rushing forth with her blade at the ready, but her actions had become clumsy due to anger; just what Constance wanted. The brunette side-stepped the heavy swing Anne brought down over her head and elbowed the wench straight in the nose before leaving a light cut on the woman's shoulder. The Indian smirked as she danced away and readied her body defensively.

"Why you?" Anne hollered, getting back into an offensive position.

"What have I ever done to you? I don't even know you!" Constance defended, confused by the woman's outburst.

"Why would Edward choose a woman like you to be part of his crew, and refuse someone like me? He says you can climb and fight, but what else can you do for your crew?"

The words stung, but the brunette kept a stoic face. "I've earned their respect, and to be honest, I don't even think I'm cut out to be a pirate, but I still join them everyday in merriment, and we fight together in battle like family. They know I'm not a great pirate, but they don't expect me to be a bar whore either."

Anne rushed in for an attack, but Constance managed to swivel out of harm's way before the dagger could knick her. The brunette feared she would be unable to convince the red-head to stay her blade, but she was running low on options. Fight or flight.

And the Indian chose fight.

X

_Shores of Nassau…an hour later_

The blonde Captain of the Jackdaw smirked before downing his tankard while Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch laughed aloud as both men watched on in amusement while the French commander, Rousseau, was stripped down to his trousers and became the punching bag the pirates of the shore. Kenway poured himself another cup before leaning back in his chair and placing his feet up on the table.

"So how much gold did you manage to scrap off his ship?" Edward questioned turning his attention from Rousseau to Blackbeard.

Thatch laughed once more as he gazed over at the blonde. "Enough ta buy me two sloops for the fleet. Hornigold was impressed enough to come back ta Nassau."

"Is that so? How is that bastard anyway?"

"Always the same. Attacking every vessel from 'ere to Portugal, but never putting 'oles in 'n English ship. He's pissing off more crew members, and soon we're gonna 'ave another rebellion just like when Samuel Bellamy took charge."

"Benjamin is a great Captain, but not so much a smart pirate."

"You're preaching ta the choir, boy."

Edward laughed as his eyes traveled back to the French commander. He was on the ground now, weeping, while the pirates beat at him with their fists and feet.

"What do you plan on doing as the finale to this grand show of yours?" asked the blonde as he sipped at his drink.

"I don't think I've ever tried burning a man alive before," Thatch replied with a mumble as his attention also returned to the former commander. "Are you going ta stay for the final act?"

Edward glanced up the starry night sky while his eyes blurred from drowsiness. As much as he wanted to stay for the show, he knew he had to head home. "Sorry, friend, but not tonight."

Blackbeard brought his pipe to his lips and exhaled a cloud of smoke from his lungs. "You are planning to set sail tomorrow aren't you, lad?"

Sea-colored eyes met brown and the blonde nodded. "I've spent the past two weeks searching for this man, and I think you are giving him more hell than the devil will once he gets his hands on him. I need to make up for lost time, and get the new recruits their sea-legs. Sorry if the time spent was short-lived."

Thatch scoffed before bringing the pipe back to his lips. "I understand, Kenway. That bastard has been causing too much trouble for us for far too long."

Edward nodded before standing from his chair. "I wish you the best of luck, friend. Think you could you give him one in the gut for my crew before you torch him?"

Blackbeard laughed hardingly, expelling smoke from his lungs. "I'll give him one for each 'ole he made in the Jackdaw."

X

_On board the Jackdaw…midnight_

The brunette cursed and mumbled under her breath as she scraped the blood and dirt off her clothes and skin. She sat naked and alone in the dim light of her room as she worked, but the stains were not seeping away. Finally, after hours of straining herself, the woman just gave up, threw the tarnished clothes into the water of her pail, and fell back against the bed's uncomfortable cushion.

Two new cuts adorned her eyebrow and cheek while a large gash, stitched up by fishing line, carved from her right side and across her adomen. The pain was excruciating, but Constance didn't pay any attention as her mind lingered on the red-head's words.

Anne tried to convince her she was worthless, but she knew better. That woman was a tavern whore who needed adventure so she preyed on pirates hoping to get on board their ships. She knew Edward, so that meant she had tried the same to him, but he refused as well. This made Constance wonder if he had slept with her anyway. The blonde had a soft-spot for any red-head beauty he came into contact with, and the brunette was certain that they out charmed one another to the nearest bed they could find.

For reasons unknown to her, this made the woman angry. What if Anne was right? What if she wasn't beautiful enough for a husband? None of the pirates on board had shown the slightest regard to courting her, except for Liam, but Constance feared for how long it would be until they saw one another again.

A knock on the door of the cabin sent Constance in a frenzy as she jumped from her bed to grab her clothes, but realized they were soaking in murky water. She rushed for her dresser, but the hatch suddenly opened sending the brunette toward her bed and wrapping her body with her thin, wool blanket. She turned just in time to see Edward descend the last two steps of the staircase with a shocked expression on his face.

"Do you mind?" Constance asked as her cheeks burned scarlet.

"What the hell happened to you?" the blonde questioned, ignoring her words.

The woman had almost forgotton that it wasn't just a few scratches she had received in her fight. Her right cheek was swollen with a horrible bruise and her lip probably appeared just as nasty looking. She could almost see the cut on the bridge of her nose in the corner of her eyes as she stared forward at the blonde with a guilty expression on her face.

"I met one of your whores at the tavern," she replied nonchalantly.

"And she did this to you?" Edward moved closer and softly maneuvered her face from left to right.

"Trust me, she looks much worse," Constance joked, but the blonde still held his serious façade.

"I thought I told you to stay out of trouble."

"I didn't ignitiate the fight, she did. It was either protect myself or let her kill me."

Edward dropped his hand away from her chin and stepped back to examine the rest of her, but the sheet blocked the view. "Drop the blanket," he ordered calmly.

"What? No!" Constance hollered as she tightened her hold on the wool fabric.

"I know you are hiding something. Drop the blanket."

Angry at the blonde, the Indian woman spread open the sheet to show off the horrendous scar over her abdomen before quickly covering herself once more. "Happy?" she asked, her face now the same color as a tomato.

Edward was utterly shocked. His face contorted with different emotions, and although he tried to remain passive, his anger raged like a fire in his gut. "Why didn't you say anything about this?"

"Who was I supposed to go to?" Constance questioned with equal rage. "For all I know we are the only two people on board. There was no one to call on when I got here, so I handled the situation myself."

The Captain turned away from the woman as he ran a hand through his hair. "And what about the other woman? What happened to her?"

"She ran away like a coward."

"What was her name?"

"Anne Bonny, or something like that."

Edward cursed under his breath as the image of the red-headed beauty popped into his mind. He figured the woman was still angry at his rejection, but not enough to attack one of his crew members. "Get some rest," the blonde ordered as his sea-colored eyes met green. "We have a big day tomorrow."

He began to walk away, but Constance held onto his hood, preventing him from exiting the room. "You are going after her, aren't you?"

The Captain heaved out a heavy breath before turning to look at the short woman. "That is none of your concern."

"Of course it is my concern! She attacked _me _remember? It was my battle and I won, and I don't care if she fled or not."

Edward scowled at Constance, but she returned the glare. "She still hurt one of my crew members and I will not tolerate it."

"Have you even considered what I think?" The blonde's face softened at her words as the woman released his hood. "I don't want you chasing after this woman because that is what she wants."

The Captain studied the Indian carefully, too shocked to find the words to say. He wanted nothing more than to find Anne for doing this, but Constance was right; it was her battle and she won. The meek woman who boarded his ship all those months ago was gone. The pirate life had broken and shaped her into a fighter, and it was time he let her be the grown person she had become.

"Fine," the blonde agreed, heaving out a sigh. "I won't go looking for her."

Slightly shocked, Constance gave the Captain a nod of approval as her eyes traveled everywhere but him. "Good."

Deciding to lighten the mood, Edward let his tradmark smirk adorn his lips as he turned his attention fully back toward the woman. "So, how is it a tavern wench managed to out skill you with a blade? I've seen you tackled men twice your size without getting a cut."

"She got lucky," Constance stated as she moved over to her dresser and pulled out a half torn, black shirt with missing sleeves and navy blue trousers. "Do you mind, Captain?"

"Not at all," he replied, sitting down on the bed and leaned his back against the wall.

The brunette leered his way while tightening the fabric against her body. "I meant could you leave so I can get dressed."

Edward's lips curled upward as he examined her body language. "Don't tell me you are afraid now? I've seen you naked many times before."

"You were dressing my wounds."

"Didn't stop me from taking a peek."

With nostrils flared, the brunette turned away from the blonde and let the blanket fall to the floor before quickly dressing in the shirt and trousers she had set out. She hated being naked in front of a man, it made her feel vulnerable and prone to their lust. Constance knew his game when he pushed on her buttons. The more he pressed at her anger, the more she was driven to prove him wrong. It was her flaw around him, but she couldn't stop it.

"Satisfied?" the Indian questioned with a mocking tone as she turned to gaze at the Captain. The expression on his face was not something she was expecting to see. He observed her body absent mindedly while Constance called out his name, but he didn't answer.

"Edward?" she asked one last time while running a hand in front of his face. He suddenly snapped from his day dream and stared up at the brunette.

"I guess I am more tired that I assumed," the blonde joked as he stood from the bed. He refused to look her way while heading toward the door, but Constance changed that as she grabbed a hold of his hood once more.

"I can tell when you are lying," the brunette stated as she stepped in front of the blonde. "What's gotten into you?"

"It's late, and the day starts early tomorrow, so lets both get some rest." He tried to by-pass the woman, but she only blocked his path more.

"One last question and we both go to bed, and you have to answer it," Constance negotiated.

Edward gave the woman an agitated look before rolling his eyes. "Fine."

The brunette fidgeted with her fingers, and her eyes lingered everywhere, but the Captain. "Before Anne and I started fighting, she said that I am not…good enough to be a…wife. I was just wondering…do pirates ever retire from this life to settle down? So they can have a family?"

With his mouth agape, Edward tried to answer the woman's question, but he couldn't find the answer. "I've heard stories, but…"

Constance looked woefully as she pursed her lips together. "It's ok. It was a ridiculous question anyway."

The blonde shook his head as he gazed at the brunette. "There have been many sailors who have asked the same, so you are not the first, but I honestly don't know. As for Anne, the woman tried to kill you, so don't take her words to heart. You've shown more bravery than anyone I've ever met. There are men out there that would love to have you as a wife."

"But I'm not beautiful."

"Who said you weren't?"

"…Anne…"

"Exactly." Edward placed a finger under the woman's chin and pulled her gaze onto his. "The only reason why you are not being surrounded by suitors is because they know that they would be messing with the citizens of the Jackdaw. Trust me… you are beautiful."

Mesmerized by the glint of happiness in her eyes, the blonde leaned in closer and placed his lips on hers. He feared he had done the wrong thing, but soon Constance's lips moved with his and her hands were behind his neck and in his hair. Edward wrapped a hand gently around her waist while his other was placed softly on her cheek. The intense shock of electricity charging through his body caused him to pull the brunette closer as their kiss deepened.

How long had it been since he felt this way about a woman other than Caroline?

Constance was the first to break free for air causing green eyes to clash against blue. The two stared longingly at one another unsure of what their next step of action would be. It was like being a teenager once again.

"Are you…do you…?" the brunette started, but was cut off by Edward's lips. Although the woman was unsure about the actions, she followed his pattern as he picked her up and dropped her on the bed without breaking the kiss.


	24. History

**I've got good news and I've got somewhat bad news…it's not bad, but you might hate me for it.**

**Anyway, I want to finish this story before the release of Black Flag, so I'm going to start working my way toward the wrap up of the story and hopefully end it a few days before the game is available. Which means only a few chapters left….**

**Good news is that I have created a new character, with a still developing background, whom will be my next victim-I mean protagonist for a new EdwardXOC story. This story will not be published until after I obtain the game and fully retain Edward's pirating life. **

**I'm sorry to bring you this news if it makes you sad, but I don't want to neglect this story once the game is out(cause trust me, I am not going to eat or sleep until I finish every possible thing that is available in Black Flag).**

**Anyway, Enjoy.**

Chapter 24: History

The rest of the world became nonexistent as the two pirates pressed their bodies harder against one another while their lips fought for dominance. Edward had lost his coat some time during the fray and the tie holding back his hair slipped from the strands, letting his golden mane loose. Constance was still fully clothed as she brushed through the blonde's locks, pulling his head closer to deepen the kiss.

The brunette; although terrified for what this might lead to, wanted it more than anything. Ever since Edward had shown a slight compassion for her, Constance knew she had been struck by the annoying arrow of a pestering angel. She had forced down the emotion for months, thinking that it was just the charm every woman falls for, but the feeling inevitably stayed. Did the Captain feel the same, or was this because he needed pleasure?

Laughing inwardly at her dramatic thoughts, Constance threw all morals out the window and no longer cared if he was doing this for love or pleasure. Her loins ached in a way she had never felt before, so she let the blonde lead the way since she was unsure how to react to any of this. It was her first time doing it consensually; something she had never had the joy of experiencing before.

Edward bent his head to kiss her neck as one hand trailed across her abdomen while the other supported him by the elbow. The woman's back arched in reaction giving him the signal that he was doing his job well. He was entranced by her taste and smell alone that he feared what would happen if he was able to touch every part of her skin. He could no longer hold a conscious thought due to the animal instincts kicking in; it was only a matter of time before he would grow tired of the foreplay and rip off her clothes.

The Captain forced himself away from her skin to examine her flushed features. How could this exotic beauty be called hideous? It was true that she needed to regain the meat on her bones that she had lost from being a prisoner on board Rousseau's ship, but she was attractive nonetheless. Upon further inspection, Edward noticed she didn't appear like an Indian at all. She may have had the light olive skin and dark brown hair, but her high cheek bones and stunning green eyes almost made her look like a tan Englishwoman.

Constance's labored breaths pressed her breasts against Edward's chest sending pulses to his nether regions. He lowered his lips back onto hers; however, this time more gently so he could savor her taste. The woman replied with the same motion, finding the softness more inviting. The brunette moaned into the kiss when the blonde's hand had found the outside of her thigh. Every touch was elevating her excitement, and she didn't know how much longer she could hold out with this torture.

Edward's fingers traveled north slowly as he memorized every sensitive part of the woman's skin. He already figured this was her first time without it being forced upon her, and he wanted to make sure it was perfect.

The blonde didn't want Constance to be afraid anymore. This was the final step to push the remaining fear of men from the brunette, and to make it amazing would mean freeing her from the last of her chains.

The Captain's hands brushed over the cut of the Indian's torso causing her to hiss slightly in pain. The sound immediately sobered Edward from his delusion which made him stop in the middle of his work. Confused by his behavior, Constance gazed at the blonde as he rolled off of her onto his side and lied on the bed while propped up by his elbow.

"What's wrong?" the brunette asked.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Edward replied as he tried to find her eyes, but he couldn't look directly into them.

Constance also turned to her side and sat up on a propped elbow. "Why not?"

The blonde finally found the woman's eyes, and gazed at her with an apologetic look. "Remember what you said the night we first met?"

"Not really," the brunette replied, becoming more confused by the sudden mood change.

"You said our relationship is merely professional."

"That was months ago."

"But it should still be that way."

Constance was taken aback by the announcement and was unsure what to say. "You think that this was a-"

"It is a mistake," Edward cut her off. "I'm your Captain and you are one of the crew. We should act like brother and sister in arms rather than…_this."_

The Indian was in complete disbelief at what she was hearing. Was the blonde being serious? "So that's it then?" Constance questioned as she stood from the bed and began pacing the room. "I finally accept your affection, and you say that we shouldn't have a relationship beyond Captain and crew. That's where it is going to end?"

Edward was about to push himself off the bed, but the woman quickly climbed on top of him and straddled his waist. She placed both hands on each side of his head and leaned her face in close so that their noses were almost touching.

"You are one of the first men I have accepted into my life, and _you_ are the reason why I am no longer afraid to fight back…Edward, I-"

Constance had no time to finish her sentence as the blonde wrapped his hand behind her neck and pulled her down for another kiss. The shock of the situation paralyzed the brunette temporarily, but she soon found her lips moving with the same motion as his.

The next few minutes became a blur for the two as Edward pulled the woman's shirt from her torso and flipped her onto her back. It didn't take long for the rest of the clothes to follow leaving both individuals naked as they kissed passionately.

A scarlet hue of embarrassment painted Constance's cheeks as she forced herself not to look down at the Captain's growing manhood. She could feel it pulsing against her leg and almost squealed out of fear as her past tried to take over her thoughts. The brunette immediately closed her eyes and forced away the memories. _Edward wasn't going to harm her_, she repeated like a mantra.

As if on queue, the blonde leaned in next to the woman's ear; his breath giving away his excitement. "Are you sure you want this?" he asked as he pushed back a little so he could see her face.

Green eyes met blue and the woman nodded slowly. She was hesitant, but the Captain could tell she wanted it just as much as he did. Edward placed his lips on hers once more before slowly sliding his manhood inside of her. She moaned with an arched back while her arms embraced his torso tightly. The blonde grunted at the action as his head swirled from the pleasure.

She was tight; something he was not used to. The Captain waited for her to adjust before moving back and thrusting once again. Edward leaned down and kissed her passionately as his movement increased sending them both into ecstasy. Constance's fingers found his golden mane of hair and pulled him closer while one of the blonde's hands gripped her hip to lead the woman through the motions.

Her orgasm drew closer as Edward began to move faster sending jolts of pleasure though her abdomen and legs. Constance suppressed the urge to moan aloud as her core finally tightened, stimulating her entire body with bliss. Grunting, the Captain came shortly after before collapsing from exhaustion onto the brunette. Both pirates lied there with labored breaths, but eventually the blonde propped himself up on his elbow to stare into the woman's eyes.

Edward leaned in to kiss Constance before pulling their bodies apart. Their lips soon parted as the Captain fell onto his side next to the woman and gathered her into his arms allowing her to lay her head on his bare chest. They didn't say a word as both their eyes drooped from tiredness and sleep's enticing allure consumed the last of their fight to stay awake.

X

_A month later_

_1717_

_A few miles off the coast of Barbados_

The lining of the plantation-based island became clearer as a slightly beaten spyglass was adjusted by the Captain of the Jackdaw. The islanders were peaceful, and the surrounding reefs made it a lesser target amongst pirates and sailors, but that was the exact reason why Edward had chosen to come here.

Thatch and Kenway's paths had crossed once more, only this time, Blackbeard had more than just pirating advice for the young blonde. Reginald Copperfield, the former Templar gone rogue, had a minor slip up during one of his transactions, giving away his location. Both captains wanted this man's gold, and chose to join forces to obtain it.

Edward lowered the spyglass to glance over at the sloop _Adventure* _where Blackbeard ordered his crew to ready the cannons. Mortars would have worked better for this situation, but Thatch said to leave them be for the time being. What did this black garbed devil have in mind?

(*_I'm not quite sure if this is the name of the sloop he commanded before the Queen Anne's Revenge, but it was the only other name given in his pirating command.)_

Sea-colored eyes traveled away from the sloop and upward to the foremast's topsails. The half-Indian, out of boredom, paced back and forth on the yard as if the daunting height meant nothing. The Captain tsked at her recklessness, fearing the worst. He knew she did such dangerous stunts not only for the adrenaline, but to grab his attention as well, and to his agitation, it was working.

To his relief, Thatch finally gave the signal allowing for the blonde to order his crew to raise anchor, and the two ships sailed forward before paralleling to the island's coast. Shots rang out while cannonballs flew, and soon the plantations lining the shore were ablaze. Only a few more miles of shoreline before they would finally get to Copperfield, but first the pirates needed to get his attention.

More cannon fire soared across the sea's crystal blue waters sending plantation owners into a frenzy as their slaves tried to escape with their lives. Adewale smiled at the Captain's side as he watched men and women become free because of the raid. It was a small bonus from the chaos reeking the island.

The north tip of the shore drew closer, and each second a new detail of the recently built fort became clearer. There were three towers with a fourth under construction. The outlining wall was reinforced with a second layer and along each rampart laid three cannons at the ready.

"Ready the mortars!" Edward called as the Jackdaw paralleled with the fort on the port side. "Aim!" The vessel inched slightly more forward until it was closest to the middle tower. "Fire!"

Shots like fireworks soared through the afternoon sky and crashed like rain onto the outer wall of the fortress. The warning bells tolled sending hundreds of red-garbed soldiers to their posts. The enemy retaliated with return fire, but their aim could not calculate fast enough to match the speed of the two ships.

Thatch set his cannons toward the middle tower and unleashed hell onto the unsuspecting men on the ramparts. The outer wall cracked before part of it crumbled into the sea below. Edward followed up on the attack, destroying the rest of the structure which fell into the water to create a bridge to the mainland.

"All hands ready to make port!" the blonde ordered as he steered the Jackdaw to parallel with the newly formed opening. As soon as the vessel was barely scraping the debris, the crew immediately leaped from the railings and dove into action against the British soldiers of the fort.

Edward trailed behind the mass of pirates and let them distract the enemy while he climbed up the inner wall and into the main sanctuary of the garrison. The guards were fewer inside the courtyard, but they were each on high alert. The blonde had to think fast if he wanted to find Copperfield before he had a chance to flee.

Just as he was about to take the stealth approach into the main keep, more cannon fire burst through the fortress, disintegrating the perch under Edward's feet. The Captain was unable to catch himself, and began to fall with the debris into the awaiting sea below.

X

Constance couldn't help but congratulate herself as she easily slipped past the patrol in the inner courtyard, and made her way through the many corridors. Her small stature worked to her advantage, and she soon found the study where the leader of the army should have been hiding. The brunette kept her footsteps light as she ventured further into the room. With a dagger in her left hand and a saber in the other, she was ready to tackle anything that came her way.

The wooden door to the room slammed shut behind the woman causing her to jump into a defensive stance as she turned to gaze at whomever did the act. Constance immediately froze as the man's features triggered an unwanted memory.

"No…" the woman mumbled as she lowered her weapons and took a step backwards.

"Ah, so you haven't forgotten me. That's good." The thin man grinned as he stepped forward. "Would you like a cup of tea? Maybe some caramel? Those were your favorite, were they not?"

Constance raised the saber and pointed it at the intruder at chest level. "What are you doing here?"

The graying male clad in red smirked as he strode with a slight limp in a circle around the woman to sit at his desk. He ushered at the seat across from him, but the brunette didn't take it.

The man cleared his throat and smiled once more at the Indian. "A pirate? I was expecting maybe a tailor or doctor's assistant, but you have always surprised me." He examined her closely, waiting for an retort, but one never came. "Do you even know who your Captain is?" Constance did not answer, but instead glared at the general. "Ah, I see. He tells you what you need to hear and then you go on about your business as ordered. Even in the free life, you still act like a slave."

The brunette growled before driving her dagger into the table. "I chose to be a pirate, and I can leave anytime I wish. There are no chains holding me to that ship."

His smile turned into a smirk. "Is that so? I must say I am very curious to know what happened after I freed you all those years ago."

"It wasn't that long ago…"

"Really? Ten years is not long at all?" The man laughed as he studied the woman's figure. "The years have done you well, child. You are as stunning as your mother used to be."

Constance scowled at him before yanking her dagger from the mahogany table. "Don't you dare-"

"Speak about her? I only mean well. She was smart and beautiful, it is a shame that I could not make it in time to free her as well."

"And then what would have happened? She joined the voyage with me and died in the hurricane?"

"You were supposed to go to the colonies-"

"But we came here!" The brunette hollered. "I was stuck on an island by myself for ten years! None of the people on board made it but me!"

The general gave her a woeful look as he played with the ring on his right middle finger. "I only wanted what was best for you. I did promise your mother-"

"No, _father, _you wanted to make amends for the punishment she received when the lords found out she was pregnant with me!"

He smiled sadly as he stood from his chair and paced back and forth across the room. "When the news finally came to me that she had a child, I tried to persuade the King to let me take you, but he would not allow it. I did my best to free you, I truly did, but there was no way. It wasn't until my visit on your twelfth birthday when I noticed it." The man quit pacing and stared at his daughter. "You had finally received your _gift."_

Constance gazed at him with a fake confused expression. "What gift?"

He smiled in return and closed his eyes. "Don't lie to me, child. I can hear your heartbeat." The man opened his green eyes in time to see the brunette's cheeks turn scarlet. "The gift has been in my family for centuries. We can hear the hearts of men beat from across the room while your skills allow you to be more agile, more cunning, and above all else, you adapt much quicker than anyone. Our bloodline would have been the greatest within the assassins, but the Templars offered such better rewards."

"So you would have rather reaped money than free the world?" Constance couldn't help but ask.

"Yes," he replied nonchalantly.

"Why?"

"Simple. The assassins were weak." The brunette was shocked at the blunt answer, but said nothing as her father returned to pacing the room. "The assassins were indeed a cunning organization, but they believed that mankind should be free to make his own decisions, which we all know it is nearly impossible to achieve."

"And what's so terrible about a dream that is plausible to obtain?"

"The assassins have never had the proper funding nor the man power the Templars have gained. There was a time when maybe yes, they could have been able to do it, but that idiot Altair ruined it for them. Best pick the winning side of the war, or you will die a homeless rat."

Constance sneered. "You are not even a Templar."

"True, but I did receive my fortune after working with them for a short time."

The woman clicked her tongue while a frown formed on her lips. "I am ashamed to call you my father."

The man quit pacing to stare at the brunette once more. "I am a business man. I do what is most beneficial."

"You also have every pirate from here to Nassau wanting to claim your profit."

The man couldn't help but laugh. "Do you really think I slipped up and gave away my location on accident?"

Green eyes widened. "You lured the Captain here?"

He smirked. "Don't fret. Hangings are clean and honorable compared to the alternatives."

Fear rushed like ice through her veins as Constance began rushing toward the door, but the familiar click of a cocked flintlock stopped her from continuing to the outside. The brunette turned to glare at her father while his appearance remained calm.

"Sorry, dear, but I need you to remain here."

X

With a vertical slice of his blade, Edward fell the fortress captain in charge of the soldiers causing them to surrender their weapons. The crew cheered in accomplishment before rushing into the inner sanctum where both captains stood at the garrison's door. The blonde pressed on both of the wooden structures, and let them sway open to reveal an empty vestibule.

"Spread out and search for Copperfield! I want him alive!" Edward ordered, sending the crew into a haste to search for him.

"This place looks like he fled 'ours ago," Thatch stated as he followed the younger man down the many hallways.

"Something tells me he hasn't," Kenway replied as he stalked past the crew to the many doors further down the corridor.

Each room was the same: empty. Edward began to fear that Blackbeard was right, but there were still many chambers left unchecked. After another four lifeless areas, the crack of a flintlock echoed like a cannon off the brick walls, sending every pirate in the direction of the sound. Kenway and Thatch were the first to enter the room not expecting to see what they did.

Constance stood over a lean, forty two year old man with a smoking pistol in one hand and a saber pointed at his throat in the other. A light trail of blood oozed from her nose and a few cuts on her shirt and trousers indicated a hurried fight. The graying male lying on the floor held his bleeding shoulder while his right knee was bent at an odd angle.

"Copperfield detained by a woman. I wished I was 'ere to see it," Thatch mocked as he circled to look the man in the eye. Some of the crew snickered, but stayed back as signaled by Edward.

"You know why we are here, Reginald," the blonde spoke, joining at Blackbeard's side.

"Gold and answers," Copperfield sneered. "The gold was put in the warehouse outside to be shipped this evening."

"He's lying," Constance announced as she pressed the blade against his neck. "He rigged the warehouse with powder kegs."

"And 'ow do ya know this, lass?" questioned Thatch.

"There is a journal on his desk. All of his transactions and associates are in there."

Glancing between Copperfield and Constance, Edward retrieved the book and scanned through its contents. The woman had been spot on, the British bastard revealed everything within the pages. "She's right."

"Seems like we don't need ya anymore," Blackbeard smirked as he brought his attention back to the male on the ground.

"What are you going to do then? Torture me like you did Rousseau?" Copperfield challenged.

"Not worth my time." Thatch pulled a flintlock from its holster and repainted the floor with the man's brain before anyone had the time to blink. "So Kenway," the older pirate started as he placed his pistol back in its rightful place. "Where is the real location of the gold?"

"There are two locations. One of the warehouses is at the southern tip of the island, while the other is in Trinadad," Edward replied, showing the map to Blackbeard.

Thatch smirked as he turned to his crew. "You heard the man, we set sail for Trinadad!"

X

_On board the Jackdaw_

_A few miles off the southern tip of Barbados_

_Several hours later_

The brunette knocked lightly on the door to the Captain's cabin before sliding into the dimlitted room. Relaxing in his chair, the blonde drank rum straight from the bottle while he read the rest of the contents in Copperfield's journal. Constance sat cross-legged in the seat across from him while eyeing the man worryingly.

She hoped her father didn't expose their heritage within the pages; it was the last thing she needed in her life.

Edward, noticing the woman's stare, placed the book on the desk, and gazed right back at her. "Is something wrong?"

Constance shook her head. "No. I'm just confused about this whole ordeal with Copperfield."

"That makes two of us." The blonde stood from his chair and circled the table until he was standing in front of the brunette. He leaned down until his nose grazed hers. "Mind telling me how you knew about the journal if you can't read."

Scarlet burned at the woman's cheeks as she tried to come up with an excuse. "He let it slip when I found him. He thought he could kill me before I was able to tell you, so he didn't bother hiding it."

Edward was emotionless as he studied Constance, but he soon straightened his back, appearing to buy her lie. "Did he happen to say anything else?"

"After his first slip up, he wasn't about to let it happen again."

The blonde nodded as if expecting that to be the answer. "Well then…" Edward leaned in once more, placed an arm about the woman's waist and heaved her from the chair before tossing her onto his bed. The Captain climbed onto the brunette, trapping her in place. "…Where did we leave off before Thatch interrupted?"


	25. In the Midst

**I am really sorry that this took so long to update. Mid-terms for classes plus an internship, and to pile on my work calling me in every day has me running ragged. **

**I was hoping to make this chapter longer, but after a few PMs asking if I'm still alive, I just needed to post with what I had and move everything else to the next chapter. **

**Like I said, I am really sorry that this took too long.**

**I hope you enjoy. **

Chapter 25: In the Midst

_**May 23, 1716**_

_When I had finally agreed to Philip's outrageous demands, we met in a backwash tavern in Havana, hoping to keep our rendez-vous a secret. Philip assured we were not followed, and I chose to believe his words in order to pacify my growing nervousness. The boy was anxious, almost as if he feared for his life. He spoke with haste in a terrified tone while his eyes moved between the patrons of the bar. _

_I had hired two German brutes for protection, but even with the ailment of knowing that these men would sacrifice themselves for my well being, I could not help but fear that something was upon us. _

_The boy, no older than twenty five at most, conveyed his thoughts of abandoning the assassins and joining the Templars. Intrigued by his change of heart, I questioned his reasons for leaving an order he had dedicated his life to, and he answered with three small words:_

_They are weak._

_He had found my full attention, and what was supposed to be a brief meeting, pressed on for hours until we were both dry of conversation. Philip; although young and naïve, was almost a mirror image of myself in both mind and body. He was thin and malnourished in muscle, but he was intelligent._

_He could see right through the assassin's lies, and said he wanted to fight for the winning cause. The thought alone made me smile in response, but I knew there was a catch to all of this. Keeping the façade of enjoyment, I asked what it was that he seeks from us? Knowledge? Power?_

_He wanted none of it. He only wished for one thing: the death of Edward Kenway._

Out of frustration, the blonde slammed the journal shut before tossing it onto his recently cleaned desk. The sloshing red liquid on the table beckoned for him, but Edward chose to ignore it as he tried to wrap his head around the new information presented to him.

He had murdered Philip in cold blood only six months prior on the same day he had met Constance. Had he not, he would be the one dead instead. The man had conspired against the assassin order just to see his lifeless corpse. Why? Edward didn't even know who Philip was until he gave the orders to have him killed.

The answer to the blonde's aching question was unwritten within the crumbled parchments of Copperfield's journal, infuriating him more. The former Templar was careful to leave out revealing details, which left the Captain of the Jackdaw with little to no new information about the recent mysterious events.

A light knock on the door to his cabin veered him from the thought before muttering a 'come in.' Adewale appeared from behind the wood causing Edward to rub his sleepy eyes with his index finger and thumb. When was the day going to end?

"So what bad news do you have for me now?" the Captain asked as he finally reached for his drink.

The dark-skinned man gave the blonde a woeful glance before sitting in the empty armchair. "We lost Reamer and Collins to the disease and now the crew is fearing that it might spread onto them. Their bodies have already been lowered into the sea and we swabbed every last splinter of the ship, but the weather isn't helping to ease their nerves."

Edward nodded as he listened closely to the howling wind and distant claps of thunder closing in on their location. It was only a matter of time when the waves would become choppy and the rain would pound on the deck like hail. The blonde took his hand away from his eyes and gazed at his quartermaster.

"The crew can be reassured that the cove will keep the worst of the storm away from us, and the disease Reamer and Collins had caught will not spread anymore."

"And how can you guarantee that?" Adewale questioned skeptically.

"Any man that has had it, did not leave his bed during the outbreak. The disease will only go as far as the host, so if we toss their hammocks, and keep those who may have contracted the disease in isolation, everything will be fine."

The quartermaster appeared to buy the logic, but he still remained doubtful. "Did Copperfield leave any good stories for us?"

Edward scoffed as he placed the now empty bottle back on his desk. "The journal tells us everything we already know."

"Is there anything cryptic about what he says? Templars are not so keen to share their knowledge through simple writing."

The blonde shook his head before glaring at the leather bound book. "Just squabble."

Adewale nodded before standing from the chair. "It's best that I go see to the crew. God knows they will be restless tonight."

Edward bade farewell as the dark-skinned male exited the cabin, leaving the blonde with his thoughts. Thunder roared in the distance, but the rain had yet to make an appearance as the Captain turned to stare out the wide window behind him. He had very little time left before the storm hit, causing him to quickly exit his sanctuary and wander over to the lone hatch at the forecastle of the ship.

Heavy coughs greeted him as Edward relit the lantern hanging next to the staircase, giving light to the room. The woman lying on the bed barely had the strength to glance up at her visitor before her body wretch from her coughs. The blonde sat at the edge of the bed and placed a gentle hand over hers. The purple and red rash covering her neck and arms gave her the appearance of being beaten, and her cheeks were pale of color. Her dull green eyes were bloodshot red while sweat poured from her skin. She looked like death, and it scared the Captain more than anything.

Edward's fingers grazed her cheeks and forehead, letting the rising temperature scorch his hand. She gave him a small smile with the little strength she had left in her. The blonde did his best to return it, but he couldn't bear the sadness to keep it up long.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he swept away the rogue brown strands falling onto her face.

"I've had better days," Constance joked with a cracked voice.

"Don't worry. The worst will pass soon enough."

"Do not lie to me, Edward," the woman scowled. The blonde was taken aback by her sudden serious tone, but stayed quiet as she continued to speak. "I know that I will not make it; no one with the disease does, so don't go spilling words that are not true."

The Captain's thumb subconsciously brushed the back on her hand as his eyes examined each rash on the woman's skin. "I know it looks grim now, but there is a possibility of surviving."

Constance scoffed as a weak, playful smile adorned her lips. "When is the pirate life ever _not _grim?"

Edward smiled lightly. "Even if Death showed his face, you are too stubborn to let him just take you."

The woman wanted to laugh, but she instead produced a fit of coughs. "You know me too well," she replied in a hoarse whisper.

It pained the blonde to see her like this. Normally she would go against procedure and wander the ship with a devilish fever, but here she lied: fragile and nearly broken. How long would it be until she could no longer fight? Would the fever kill her first? Or would she drown in her own blood and mucus?

"Do you want me to stay here with you until the storm passes?" questioned Edward, but the woman shook her head in response.

"You will only bring the sickness onto yourself."

The blonde frowned, but her words were true. If he were to fall ill, the crew would surely go mad. "As soon as the storm passes, I will be back to check on you."

Constance nodded with a weak smile making the Captain squeeze her hand in comfort before standing from the bed. He couldn't bear to look at her as heavy coughs erupted from her throat while he marched up the stairs. He knew he had to prepare for the worse in case anything were to happen to her, but he still had the rest of the crew to manage.

Growling in frustration, Edward realized he was going to need more alcohol if he wanted to keep his sanity through the storm.

X

_**June 14, 1716**_

_News of Philip's failure to kill Edward Kenway spread like the plague throughout the order, reeking chaos amongst the higher ranks. The boy's funding was secretly negotiated of course, but I feared the others were beginning to suspect I was involved. _

_Thankfully, I will make my leave for Kingston tomorrow to inspect my new property, which will hopefully draw the attention from myself while Philip continues his man hunt._

_I do not understand why the order is so keen to keep this dog alive. After observing his antics for the past few weeks, I find Kenway arrogant and reckless. He may be intelligent for the son of a poor man, but he isn't disciplined enough to be a part of our ranks. From time to time, I find myself questioning our order's command. I know that this could lead to insubordination, but isn't that our foundation? To question the truth?_

_I need to dismiss these thoughts for now; however, if I do, I will think I her again. She is here in the Caribbean, and I am sure of it. The hurricane sank the ship, but there have seen survivors before in similar cases. It is difficult to locate a woman with no name, but she is different, and I am sure she will appear somewhere soon enough._

Edward had reread the last paragraph over and over again, wondering who this mysterious woman was. Copperfield had mentioned her before, but he never said what their relationship was. Was she his wife? Mistress perhaps?

Copperfield had never married, but his journal spoke of an affair with a slave many years ago when he was betrothed, but his fiancé broke the engagement upon finding out. Maybe the woman was the slave, and he set her free.

Dismissing the idea, Edward flipped past more dates and names until his eyes noticed the information he wanted.

_**September 2, 1716 **_

_I saw her. How could I doubt my eyes? She was a mirror image of her mother, and she had made it to the New World as a free woman. I was proud to call her my daughter; she walked tall and confident as though this place had been her home all along. _

_My fatherly nature wanted to confront her, but as I continued to observe, I noticed something off about her. She was no longer that meek girl I had freed from the chains of slavery, but a woman, hardened by the life of the Caribbean. Had I done the right thing by sending her out to sea alone? _

_I followed behind her at pace that would not draw attention to myself as I continued to watch her behavior. Her kindness had stay, which I was grateful for, but I couldn't help but notice the stiffness in her stance. It was as if she feared someone was going to jump out to take her. _

_Studying the crowded streets of Havana, I didn't find anything out of the ordinary about the civilians. The tension was high due to government control, but it was only in its early stages. No revolts have ever started when government is taking its first baby-steps into power. _

_Honing in on my daughter, I used my gift to listen to her heartbeat. It was for the most part steady, but it would increase every time a man crossed her path. It was then I learned her confidence was a façade. She was the exact same person I had met all those years ago. _

Edward sneered at the last line as his eyes traveled over the words. Copperfield seemed almost satisfied that his daughter had not adjusted to the ways of life. May be he had hoped it would be easier to convince her to joining him if he played his pieces right. Either way, the blonde hated the man even more for it.

A crack of thunder deafened the Captain as the ship rocked like a cradle within the choppy waves. The storm was finally dying away to just a light rain, but lightning still brought seconds of luminosity to the darkness brewing outside. The blonde wondered if he should call it a night, but the journal would not allow it. His questions were still unanswered; however, if he did not obtain sleep soon, he knew that his mind would be unable to focus at the task at hand.

Closing the leather bound book, Edward tossed it on his desk and retreated to his bed where the silk sheets embraced him with a cool touch.

X

_**September 4, 1716**_

_Although the assassins had planned accordingly, I was still one step ahead. _

_Rousseau was paid nicely for his services to keep those demons busy, and I almost let out a tear for his generosity of eliminating their nest in Nassau. I relieved the French general as soon as he had finished his mission, and was more than happy to fund his next escapade to attack the pirates along the Florida coast. _

_Although I knew he was capable of handling such a daring task, pirates were devils not to be trifled with, at least, not without a proper navy. _

_The fleet I had Rousseau track, which carried the assassin's supplies, were easily ambushed and our army sunk every last vessel. The assassins on board were trialed and executed in Port Royal as pirates, giving my men plenty of time to retrieve the treasures lurking on the ships. _

_**October 29, 1716 **_

_I just received word that Edward Kenway found the sunken ships. I had hoped that they would have gone unnoticed for the time being, or at least be found by some other captain with less intelligence, but alas, luck favors the bold. I have to give credit to him though, he would have made a great Templar. _

_I still wonder why Philip was so interested in killing Kenway. Did they have a blood filled past together? I could only assume this, but I may never know the answer unless I ask the pirate myself. _

_**November 1, 1716**_

_I've always loved Havana. The atmosphere is lively and the scenery is beautiful, but sadly, I can not enjoy my time here until the last of the assassin order is demolished. _

_It did not take long for my men to find and tail one of them, who, unbeknownst to him, lead us straight to their bureau. The battle was short and their deaths quick. We kept one of the assassins alive; he was nothing more than a messenger boy due to his lack of an arm, which also made him the weakest of the order. The boy was easy to contain, and did not put up too much of a struggle when he was being brought back to my ship for interrogation. _

_Was the boy tired of fighting already? _

_**November 16, 1716**_

_The assassin has yet to speak. He is stubborn and too loyal to the order to give away any information no matter the pain given to him through torture. We cut off the rest of the stub he had for an arm and took two fingers from his other hand. Still, he refuses to open his lips._

_**November 21, 1716**_

_He finally spoke. It wasn't exactly what we wanted to hear, but he was now broken enough to speak to us. _

_At first it was a mutter of the same word over and over again. We could not understand him, nor would he say anything of value. After a few more hours of blood shed and another finger amputated, he finally spoke louder, but it was still the same words:_

_Kill me._

_May be another day or two of pain will make the dog talk._

_**November 26, 1716**_

_It took longer than expected, but I now have all my answers. _

_The boy, whose name I found out to be Liam, was reluctant, but his will finally caved in. I honor his bravery, but frown at his stupidity. I made sure the final cut was quick and that he would not have to suffer anymore. As barbaric as the action was, it was for the best. _

_**January 2, 1717**_

_Edward Kenway has finally found me, and I am certain that this will be my last entry. _

_To whomever receives this journal when my time has come, there are a few details you must know: I am not alone in this. There is another hoping to put a stop to this madness once and for all, and the Caribbean is only a start. This beautiful structure of the world is tainted with those who are blackened in the heart, and once my plan has been fulfilled, there will be no more sin, and we shall be victorious._

_Also, I have a special gift that has been passed down through my family for generations. I will bring it with me to my grave, but that it why I am telling you this next part: I have a daughter, who is here now with Kenway. _

_She is a half-savage woman who has inherited my gift. From my observation, she doesn't like to show that she has it, but it is there. This ability is too dangerous for the world, and I am confused to why the Templars or the Assassins did not just kill me when they found out. _

_This gift had to be given by the lord, and I do not wish to see it in the wrong hands. All I ask is that you either protect, or kill her. _

…_Constance…_Edward thought as he placed the journal slowly onto his lap. Was she truly his daughter? If Copperfield's words were true, then a few of the blonde's questions would be answered, but the idea of it…it was preposterous.

Adewale, who sat across from the Captain, gazed at him with a confused expression as a response to the blonde's dazed one. "Did the journal reveal anything?"

Edward nodded as he tried to wrap his head back around reality. "Yeah…the ships that we found were assassin cargo vessels on their way to Nassau as part of the _big plan, _but Rousseau got to them first and sunk everything. The crew and captains were later hung at Port Royal under the title of pirates as a diversion for Copperfield to grab whatever it was on board those ships."

Adewale leaned forward, his mind in a jumble over the news. "Did the journal say what he was after?"

The blonde shook his head. "No, only that it was important."

"Is there anything else?

Edward struggled with the thought of telling Ade about Constance, but even he did not accept the words of man who tried to have him killed. "Only that Copperfield left a successor to his plot if he died at Barbados."

"Which means another bastard to hunt."

The Captain nodded. "There is no name nor any indication if he is a Templar or not, which means we have nothing to go on."

Adewale bit his lip before standing from his chair and pacing the room. "There is no end to their plots and schemes."

"They are attacking pirates, which makes this my war as well… Assassin or not," Edward growled in a low tone.

"Then what's the plan?"

The blonde; although tired and unstable, smirked as his mind reeled with mad ideas. "First we go to Kingston."


	26. Copperfield's Successor

**Black Flag is so close. ^-^**

**And I am almost done with the story too, just another chapter or two and this long run will be over. **

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 26: Copperfield's Successor

_Kingston_

_A week later _

"Are you sure ya will be fine?" Rory asked as he watched the half-Indian stumble onto the dock.

"I'm fine," she lied, suppressing a fit of coughs.

It had taken the Jackdaw a week to sail from Trinidad to Kingston due to the recent storms plaguing the Caribbean, which, to the crew's surprise, gave Constance enough time to recover from what they thought was an incurable disease.

Her rashes dwindled, but the scars they left behind appeared more like she had been burned instead. The woman's fever was gone, and she was able to walk again, but her coughs had yet to disappear completely, and when they came, blood still showed in any mucus she produced. Although Edward asked for her to stay in bed, the woman heavily insisted that she was good enough to get back to work.

"What does the Captain want us to do first?" Constance questioned while observing her new surroundings.

It was her first time in the English colony, and it had been nothing like she had expected. To finally see the New World's plantations and slaves this close sent chills down the woman's spine. The slaves had it worse than she ever did, which made Constance rethink the opportunities she had been given compared to these men and woman. She nearly jumped every time she heard the crack of a whip, feeling the sting of former punishments, but their pain didn't end when the whip was put away.

"He wants us to stay within the town, mingle a bit with the locals. Apparently there is another score out there waiting to be picked, so its our job to get information on who 'as it and where," Rory explained as he lead the way up the dirt path.

"Why only us two?" asked the woman as they passed a white church with a proud palm tree shading the entrance.

"Can't 'ave the entire crew wandering the town all at once. If anyone found out who we are, all of us 'ould be at the gallows by sunset."

Constance nodded in understanding as the two stopped at the back entrance to a closed general store. Rory knocked three times with a slight flick of his wrist. Moments passed before an elderly man, the same height as the Indian, opened the door and quickly ushered the two inside. They entered into a kitchen that smelt heavily of tea and herbs while spices hung from racks and a blaze crackled in the fireplace.

"It's a bit early for pirates to be wandering the streets," the old man rasped as he offered the two a seat by the fire.

"Just need a few things and we will be on our way," Rory stated as he tested the small chair before finally putting his full weight against the wood.

"Let me guess: an ailment for the woman," the man grinned as he pointed his cane at Constance.

The brunette stared in disbelief at the two before jumping from her seat. "Did the Captain order you to do this?" she questioned towards Rory; unaware that the old man had drawn closer to study the scars.

"He was worried that the disease would return-" the Viking-sized male tried to explain, but Constance cut him off.

"But I feel fine!"

"You know, dear, he is right," the old man interjected, surprising the woman. "Although you survived, you should be resting. This disease has a nasty habit of returning once you think you are well."

"But I feel fine!" the woman repeated as the man dredged through the many random jars on the kitchen counters.

"Lass, everyone on the ship is worried about ya. Just let Rosswell take a gander at ya," said Rory as he stood from his seat.

"And while he does this, you are going to go collect information?" Constance questioned.

Rory nodded and padded her shoulder with a comforting hand. "Mr. Rosswell is trustworthy, and he's the best doctor in Kingston who knows the disease." He padded her cheek this time and smiled. "I'll be back in an hour to check on ya."

And with that, Rory was gone, leaving Constance alone with the unknown doctor.

X

_Kingston_

_Governor Song's fortress_

Edward held his breath as two guards garbed in red passed by the tree he hid behind, fearing that they already knew where he was. To his luck, they rushed right passed him and into the foliage of the jungle. Exhaling, the blonde quickly exited from his hiding spot and made his way through the confused guards before entering the flaming fort overlooking an ocean basin.

The Captain smirked as he easily strode pass reinforcements overlooking the place on the ramparts before storming into the governor's quarters. Edward was met by three men: two guards and the politician himself. The red-garbed men aimed their rifles at the pirate while the Governor quit his packing to stare dumbstruck at the blonde.

"You can not tell me that one man managed to cause the chaos outside," said the graying man behind the grand desk of the room.

"Aye. I've heard that many times, but when one man can take down your fort with little effort, you might want to reconsider your commanding officers," replied the Captain as he slowly drew further into the room. The slower he approached, the less likely the guards would fire without command.

Sneering, Governor Song sat down in his chair and leaned forward until his elbows rested on the desk. "So what do I owe the honor of a pirate visiting my fort when I have no men nor gold here for him to take?"

"Information," said Edward as he began to pace back and forth. "I assume you and Reginald Copperfield were close seeing as how you collected his affairs only three days before his death." The blonde glanced over to see Song's mouth agape, so he continued. "How is it that you were able to claim his possessions if he had yet to die?"

The guards were restless with nervousness as the Governor took the time to choose his words carefully. "Copperfield was an intelligent man. He knew his actions would soon catch up with him, so he asked if I would store his belongings. It is a common practice amongst both Templars and Assassins, but what would you know? You are not truly part of anything, Mr. Kenway, besides that piracy of yours."

Edward smirked as he eyed the guard warily. "Aye, that is true, but Copperfield's possessions are not truly yours to claim after his death."

"What are you blabbering on about?" He tried to act surprised, but his façade slipped ever so slightly.

"So you are saying that you are his next successor, and that all of his possessions belong to you?"

Song scoffed unsurely, giving the blonde all the information he needed to proceed. "I guess that means I would have to kill you."

The guards opened fire, but Edward was already one step ahead and slid behind the protection of the Governor's desk. The first soldier fell to a throwing knife lodged into his heart as the blonde rushed forward and released his hidden blade into the second guard's jugular. The actions happened so fast that Song sat speechless in his chair while Edward unsheathed his blade and hovered it a few inches from the old man's throat.

"Let's try this again, shall we?" asked the Captain. "Who is Copperfield's next successor?"

X

_Kingston_

_General store_

Constance etched a frown onto her face as the old man rambled onto another story about the Christian God. The woman had always detested religious talk, even the ones her Indian ancestors worshipped. Religion, in her eyes, brought nothing but separation and ego. So many wars were fought so people would rob beliefs from others and force their own upon them, saying it would save them from damnation, but in the end, it was only for power.

"…and thus he rose above the crowd and gazed out amongst the people-" Rosswell narrated as he rubbed a yellow oil onto Constance's scars.

The woman was tired of the old man's constant ailments, but he prescribed each one in a certain arrangement if she wanted to rid of the disease from body all together.

"How many more procedures are left?" the brunette asked politely as she interrupted the man's story.

He merely smiled and pointed at one more jar of orange liquid. "Just that one and then you will able to get back to your normal life."

"I don't have to drink it, do I?" Constance shuttered at the thought; the last vial was putrid to the tongue.

"Sorry, dear," he responded as he applied the last of the oil to the woman's skin. "The last remedy will help prevent the disease from ever returning, so it has to be ingested." The woman let a scowl of disgust show making the old man laugh. "Don't worry, that oil taste like pineapple."

"Like how the purple water you gave me tasted like grapes?"

Rosswell laughed once more. "I was thinking of another medicine, but this time I am certain."

The old man wandered over to the jar as he hummed a small tune. Constance questioned why this man was so willing to risk his life to provide help to pirates, but he only replied with a smile. It was difficult to get any information out of him, but the woman figured he preferred it that way.

"Here you go," Rosswell said as he handed a cup of the orange oil to the woman. "Make sure to swallow every last drop."

"Cheers," she said sarcastically before downing the liquid. She immediately began to cough at the sour taste before glancing up at the old man. "That doesn't taste like pineapple."

Rosswell held up his hands as he laughed. "Sometimes you have to lie to the child in order for them to listen."

Three knocks on the back door seized the old man's attention and he hesitantly opened it a crack before opening it fully. Edward quickly stepped inside and closed the aperture behind him. He glanced between the two before setting his attention on Rosswell.

"Has she been through all the procedures?" the blonde questioned, causing the old man to nod.

"She just finished."

"Perfect timing," the Captain stated before turning to the woman. "Constance we need to move."

Tossing a coin purse on the kitchen counter, Edward grabbed the brunette by the wrist, waved goodbye to Rosswell, and pulled Constance from the shop. He lead her into the taller brush of Kingston's un-kept yards across the street from the store, concealing them from the frantic men in red coats.

"What's going on, and whose blood is that?" Constance questioned as the two moved once again and took cover behind a printer shop.

"I killed a Templar, and the guards are not too happy about it," the blonde replied as he surveyed the area.

"So that's his blood?"

"It's not mine-well, at least-not all of it."

"Wait-"

Edward pulled on the brunette's arm once more, leading her past a plantation and onto the docks of the harbor. Constance's protests fell on deaf ears as the blonde narrowed in on the Jackdaw's location. He motioned for the woman to run, which she obeyed with a confused expression, and soon they were on board with Edward barking orders to unfurl the top sails. Adewale joined at the Captain's side as he marched up the stairs to the helm of the ship.

"Are all accounted for?" questioned the blonde as he took the wheel with both hands and turned the vessel abeam to port.

"Aye. Anchor is up and the half-sails have been readied for your return," the quartermaster replied. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Edward nodded. "Copperfield did have a successor, two in fact, but only one of them is continuing his legacy."

"And what of the other?"

"Not one to worry about."

X

_On board the Jackdaw_

_Several hours later_

Edward flinched as the heated needle penetrated his skin and the clear line wove in and out of his flesh. Constance scowled at the festering wound that grazed his upper arm, but said nothing to break the insufferable silence between them.

The blonde opened his mouth to say something to the brunette, but immediately closed it and went back to watching the woman work. The bullet only scraped at the skin; however, it had scarred through the tattoo on his left shoulder, and even though there wasn't much damage to it, the idea bothered the Captain.

"Who is she?" Constance questioned, noticing the blonde's discomfort.

"Hm?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"Who is the woman in the tattoo?" she restated as she finished with the last of the stitches.

Edward was hesitant to respond, but Constance's green eyes seemed to plead for an answer. "She was my wife."

The brunette stood and moved to sit in the chair in front of the Captain, intrigued by his reply. "What happened?"

"We…_separated _when I chose to become a privateer a few years ago." Edward glanced from his tattoo to his folded hands in his lap. "I told her I would return after I received some pay, but the war ended too early, and I was left out of the job with no money and a wife who had already moved on without me." He smiled sadly as he looked up at Constance. "We had a daughter together, but I had left before she was born."

"Why didn't you go back to England after the war? Why stay here?" the woman asked.

"There was nothing left for me in England."

The brunette fell speechless, and nodded in reply. She felt the same way about the place, but Edward had so much more waiting for him there. Would his wife welcome him home if he did choose to return? Why hadn't he at least tried to win her back? So many questions about this woman ruffled through Constance's mind, but she chose to toss them aside for now.

"So…where are we going?" the brunette asked, trying to release the tension from the room.

Edward smiled lightly as he examined the woman. "Rory has told you about another score, I assume?" Constance nodded. "Apparently Copperfield left some of his fortune to two individuals. One, in which, has taken the torch to continue his legacy; therefore, he is a threat to us pirates."

"So we find this guy, kill him, and take his gold?" questioned the woman. "What about the second successor? Is he a threat?"

Edward smirked once again. "We don't need to worry about the second person, but yes, we will find the other man, and make sure his plans are never executed."

"Sounds simple enough," Constance stated as she stood from her chair, and began to walk towards the door. "I'm going to call it a night. Rosswell says that a few days rest, and I will never have to worry about the disease again."

She had barely brushed her fingers against the knob of the cabin's door when she felt calloused hands across her waist. Edward easily turned her body to face him before backing her as far as possible against the wood. His lips automatically found hers as his bare chest flexed under her fingers. Constance had almost forgotten what this was like after being sick for so long.

Eventually their lips separated and their eyes met while they took in a fresh breath of oxygen.

"You are staying here tonight, end of discussion," Edward stated in a husky voice as he returned his lips to hers. Constance couldn't and didn't want to argue against it. She had missed Edward as much as he missed her.

The blonde's hands wrapped around the brunette's thighs and pulled her body from the ground before pressing her against the wood once again. Constance wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck in response as their kiss deepened. After weeks of torture and tension, Edward couldn't hold back anymore.

It was good to know that she was going to be alright.


End file.
